So GGG isn't an undefeated fighter too? Or Ward who last lost when he was 12; does he need to go find that dude and challenge him to avenge his loss? Boxers have so many fights as amateurs, the duration of contest are so brief, and the skill-set so different, it renders them irrelevant in assessing a pro boxer which is what we are doing. How many fighters are discussed on here who never turned pro? Hardly any, so it stands to reason when assessing an unbeaten pro record, or in this case, the resume of a fighter who beat every man he faced, it's his pro career we are analysing. Like I say, yours is just a strawman argument...
LOLOL Ray had one of the divisions finest jabs, EVER. Lewis' gameplan vs smaller HWs was ALWAYS to establish the distance behind his jab in the early going, then drill his smaller opponent from the outside with lethal OH R and deadly L hooks. Mercer had a far superior jab, and was somehow overlooked in fight prep by Manny. Mercer built a lead in the first couple rds like 3-1 before Lewis figured it out and started banging with lead R hands, winning him 3 consecutive before taking a rd off. Mercer threw the kitchen sink at Lewis in the final rds, but Lewis had worked into a lead and wasnt gonna let himself lose by KO. Razor thin 115-113 decision for Lewis is a just score, as is a draw the best case for Mercer. In terms of making Vitali look like Malik Scott chins wise......Corrie Sanders is the only man to ever drop Vitali in a professional boxing ring. He didnt get credit, but he's the only man to do it. Vitali had Lewis #, and like Fury today, Lewis knew his future should he have taken the $40 mil and the rematch.
Lennox Lewis had the career every fighter dreams of having. He defeated EVERY fighter he faced in the pro ring. Yeah OK he had a couple of hiccups with McCall & Rahman, basically his own fault, but he made both pay dearly in the rematches. Lennox retired at EXACTLY the right time. There was no one out there to beat. He;d destroyed Vitali. Wlad was hiding under a rock somewhere. Ike Ibeabuchi was incarcerated. So Lennox retired a Happy Healthy very rich man. He has a wonderful wife & family & lovely home in Jamaica The life all ex champions should have Thanks for everything Lennox a truly great World Heavyweight Champion & a great guy God Bless !!!
Why rematch Vitali? Because he publicly promised him one. The question is, why did he wait until minutes after Vitali destroyed Kirk Johnson to run off?? If he just told Vitali and everyone after their fight that he was done, it would have been much better for him. Instead he showed himself a coward.
Mercer begged for one but Lewis didn't want to go there again, same as Vitali after Lewis agreed to the rematch he backed out.
I find it weird how people can legitimately give credit to Lewis for the McCall rematch. The man was mentally ill and should have never been in the ring that night.
Yet he broke his neck to get Rahman into the ring. I take it by your logic Rahman didn't have to rematch Lewis then?