Lewis vs Vitali. Was there ever a bigger demand for a re-match in the past 20 years?

Lewis did agree to meet vitali personally and discuss a rematch but he took his mum along with him and it was her who told him not to fight him after meeting vitali lol

 

No. It's likely, financially speaking, the biggest rematch left on the table in boxing history.

 

Yes in last 20 years this is the biggest rematch that did not occur.

Lewis obviously did not feel the result was definitive otherwise he would not have offered a rematch immediately after the fight and again in print shortly after.

Joe Louis stopped Max Schmeling in one round a reporter asked will there be a 3rd fight and Louis replied no need.

A fighter knows when they win conclusively and when they don't.

This fight deserved a rematch.

 

What does demand matter? Lewis won, end of story. His mind was already on retirement no matter what he sais after the fight. I posted several links and quotes showing this in the tko 6 thread. Vits had his chance and performed well. He came up short though. I see no reason to try and deflate Lennox because he left the sport on top. In fact I think he should be applauded. He owed no one nothing. Vits should be thankful even in defeat. Without that Lewis fight he would have always been best known for quitting against Byrd

 

Retireing as the champion after winning a fight in that kind of way is not the best ending to a legacy.

Compare it to Froch win in the first GG fight. Instead he took the rematch went out on a career high moment.

There is no doubt that Lewis won the fight because the ref clearly ended it due to a cut. But thats when rematches is most called for, when the referee or judges decides it and not the fighters.

 

I don't think you can project where V.K.'s future would have been at the time. When they fought, he was a worthy opponent, who lost, nothing more nothing less, so to say it was two ATG's going at it is to revise history. At the time nobody considered V.K. an ATG.

 

So getting knocked out in brutal fashion is a better win of ending a legacy? Do you want Lewis to continue fighting and become a complete shadow of his former self?

We saw much deterioration from him in his last fight. No point staying.

He beat Vitali in fair fashion and he left with a great great legacy. That Vitali win turned out to be one of the best wins of the 21st century so far. :hi:

 

Actually I think you'd be hard pressed to find another 37 year old champion who retired on a tougher fight than Lewis had. If you disagree a list of those who did would be appreciated.

 

By this post it seems like your sure that Vitali would win if they fought again. Kinda enforces the feeling that Lewis retired to avoid him.

I'm not sure that Lewis would get KO'd in a rematch, but if he got I acctually would think that that is a better way to end a carrer. There is no shame in beeing defeated by a younger good challenger in your late 30's.

 

Vitali COULD have won because we saw Lewis fighting at 50-60% (still won). Lewis would probably be around 30% by #2 and I'm not sure that would enough.

Fact of the matter is - Lewis was deteriorating bad after Tyson and I did not want to see him fighting with his skills and reflexes completely eroded.

He left at the absolute perfect time.

Beating his successor in fine fashion, putting that big cherry on top of his grand legacy :nod:deal

 

It could've been the hardest fight a 37 year old ever been involved in for all i care, thats not the point.

Beeing able to fight at the that level is more important then age. Skill and mindset is more relevant then age, obviously he lacked the will to step up once more.

 

"Fine fashion" seems to be where we disagree and is also the most screaming need for a rematch.