T.K.O. in 6

Sure he did. A boxer like Chris Byrd beat Lennox Lewis's best opponent more convincingly than Lewis did. That should tell you all you need to know about how poor Lewis's resume and record really is.

No, I don't need an example of that. I'm giving you actual proof that Lewis couldn't totally incapacitate or finish off Vitali, to the point where Vitali couldn't continue fighting or didn't want to continue fighting.

Whilst Byrd literally made a better version of Vitali quit, out of his own will.

Ergo, Chris Byrd > Lennox Lewis.

Good points, and I totally agree!

Chris Byrd forced a potential career ending injury to occur to Vitali Klitshcko's shoulder by making him miss his punches (a skill). And Vitali himself admitted after the fight that the injury occurred from missing punches. So no, you're totally wrong! Vitali Klitschko himself knew what was more damaging. The fact that he willfully quit against Byrd, is evidence that he was in greater physical distress and damage. Whereas against Lewis, he wanted to continue. Ergo, that's evidence that he was in less distress against Lewis.

Who are you to say whether Vitali could've continued against Byrd but lacked heart, when Vitali himself acknowledges and admits that he couldn't continue? It's totally baseless and speculative for you to claim that Vitali had the ability to win and could've continued against Byrd but not againt Lewis.

How is winning a fight by having the referee stop the fight against your opponent's will, more impressive than beating someone to the point where they themselves can't and don't want to continue? That's the difference between Byrd's win over Vitali and Lewis's win over Vitali! Lewis couldn't totally incapacitate or finish off Vitali. The referee stopped the fight against Vitali's will. Whilst Byrd literally totally finished off and incapacitated Vitali, to the point where the referee didn't even need to stop the fight because Vitali himself quit.

And yes, it was a premature stoppage because Vitali wanted to continue against Lewis and it was in his will to continue. Therefore, everyone, including the referees, fans and officials should've respected his decision. If Vitali already knows the dangers he could face, but still decides that he wants to continue fighting, then that's his own choice and everyone must respect that decision. The fact that this decision was not respected, means that Lewis didn't really beat Vitali, but was rather handed the victory.

It's possible Vitali could've very well lost an eye. But that was his own decision. Likewise, it's also possible that Vitali may have had Lewis figured out and he knew he could've defeated Lewis before his eye damage got any worse. Or he could've inflicted permanent damage on Lewis himself. Who knows? The point is, as a neutral, we didn't get to find out because we had a nonsensical referee who prematurely stopped the fight before it reached its conclusion. As long as Vitali wanted to continue fighting and protested against the stoppage, that stoppage will always remain a premature and an inconclusive one.

 

LOL - 68 stitches in the face bud and half an eye out.

You'd sheet yourself if you cut yourself shaving couch potato.

 

TKO in 6 brothers!

 

Instead he went beating and sexually assaulting women.

He wouldn't have beaten either Klitschko.

 

Becuase other fighters fought on with similar injuries and made the final bell and fought again afterwards.

Holyfield against Byrd and Moorer suffered a torn rotator cuff yet he saw both fights out to their finish.

Bernard Hopkins dislocated his shoulder against Antwon Echols but beat him.

Tyrell Biggs fought the majority of his fight again Jeff Sims with one hand because of a shoulder injury yet still won.

Danny Williams injured his shoulder in the 3rd round against Mark Potter then stopped him in the 6th with one hand.

Jeff Lacy fought on to victory against Vitali Tsypko despite suffering a torn rotator cuff in the second round of their rematch.

There are numerous example of fighters suffering potentially career ending injuries mid-fight who fought on despite those injuries and saw the fight out to it's finish - it may no have been wise to do so but they did it - Vitali could have done the same if he'd wanted to, he didn't.

If he had wanted to fight on he was perfectly capable of winning that fight. He was ahead on the cards and still using his injured arm right up to the end of the 9th round and it wasn't obvious that he was hurt badly. He could have jabbed and clinched his way through two more rounds to win. The fact that other fighters have won with similar injuries shows that it was possible.

Because no fighter who is stopped wants to be. Any fighter who is KO'd or TKO'd or stopped on cuts would have wanted to fight on but because they were not good enough they weren't able to.

Vitali wasn't strong enough or good enough that night to knock Lewis out and wasn't able to protect himself effectively enough to see the fight through to the final bell. Lewis was down on the card but powerful and damaging enough a puncher that it didn't matter and he battered Vitali so badly that the doctor had to step in and stop it.

This was Lewis winning because he was a more dangerous puncher and able to withstand anything Vitali had to throw at him.

Against Byrd, however, Vitali quit because of an injury. It was a pretty dominant display by Vitali up to that point and, at best, Byrd won two rounds out of 9. Vitali was clearly the better of the two fighters.

This was Byrd winning because Vitali didn't feel like continuing.

The outcome of Lewis/Vitali fight was decided by Lewis's power and durability, the outcome of Byrd/Vitali fight was decided by Vitali's injury.

It was not premature becuase he couldn't safely continue due to the damage he suffered. Whether he wanted to or not is irrelevent. He couldn't safely do so.

For clarification, are you arguing that any fight which is stopped on cut is premature and lacking legitimacy if the fighter who get stopped object?

Becuase that's a stupid argument.

It's perfectly legitimate to argue that the result was inconclusive because we didn't find out definitely who was the better fighter, Lewis or Vitali, because the cuts forced a stoppage, and that the issue was unresolved and we should have seen rematch to settle it, but is it no way a legitimate argument to say that that should have continued with Vitali in that state.

 

Your well reasoned post will be lost on "let 'em bleed" Luis. We are going to get his gladiator to the death analogy again.

 

It's totally ******ed to compare the injuries of other fighters to Vitali Klitschko's and then claim Vitali could've continued because others did, when Vitali's injury could very well have been much worse. Maybe he couldn't even hold his arm up? Maybe the pain prevented him from being able to continue? Or maybe he knows his body better than you do and his statement on his body is far more authentic, accurate and reliable than yours. Since he already claimed that he physically couldn't continue and had to quit.

I've also seen fighters fight with one eye. Joe Frazier literally fought with one eye for some parts of his career as an example, along with many other boxers. So I could just as rightfully claim that even if Vitali lost an eye, the fight still could have continued and he still could have continued fighting, provided he himself is okay with losing an eye.

Yes, any stoppage on cuts / damage is premature if the fighter that is damaged, is still willing to continue fighting. If the fighter knows the consequences and still wants to continue fighting, then that's their decision which must be accepted and respected. Why should anyone else care more for another person's body, when they themselves deem their body okay to continue. Makes absolutely no sense! If a fighter willfully gives up, quits or accepts that they can't continue, then the stoppage is legitimate. Like it was against Chris Byrd. Or if a fighter is literally knocked out unconscious or isn't able to get back up to their feet to the count of 10, then the stoppage is also legitimate.

If Vitali Klitschko says he could continue fighting, then the fight should go on. Until he literally can't continue at all any longer.

Actually, yes, some fighters do 'WANT' to give up and some fighters do 'WANT' to continue fighting. It's called 'WILL'. Chris Byrd literally look the will out of Vitali Klitschko from fighting. Lennox Lewis couldn't. So how is Lewis's win over Vitali more impressive, when he couldn't break Lewis's will like Byrd did?

It's literally utter speculation that Vitali Klitschko wasn't good enough to beat Lennox Lewis, had the fight continued. Not a fact! Just like it's utter speculation that Lewis wouldn't have won had the fight continued. Anyone who says anything other than 'we don't know what would've happened had the fight continued', is an irrational fanboy / fan girl / fanatic.

lewis's power is overrated! He couldn't KO Levi Billups after pounding on him for multiple rounds with all his might but Vitali Klitschko put that same guy to sleep in just 2 rounds, just to keep things in perspective. Claiming Vitali didn't have the power to beat Lennox Lewis is totally inaccurate and false. It was Lewis who didn't seem like he had the power to drop Vitali after landing his best punches for 6 rounds. Just like how he couldn't KO Levi Billups. For all we know, Vitali may have had Lewis figured out by the time of the stoppage and would've gotten the KO. For all we know, Lewis's power may have not been enough to totally incapacitate Vitali in 12 rounds as well. Vitali doesn't unload with maximum power until he figures his opponents out. So no, I absolutely don't agree that Lewis was a more dangerous and a more powerful puncher. Otherwise, he would've put Levi Billups to sleep after landing the kitchen sink on that bum and would've dropped Vitali at least once, in 6 rounds. Inferior fighters have taken Lewis's best punches. I see no reason why Vitali couldn't either. Even with the injury.

You do realize Lewis won just as many rounds as Byrd won against Vitali Klitschko? You also do realize that Lewis got hit far more frequently than Chris Byrd did? Even though Lewis also landed more punches on Vitali than Byrd. I call it equal domination for Vitali Klitschko over both guys. Except, against Byrd, his will was taken out of him to continue fighting but against Lewis, his will was still there. Ergo, Byrd's win over Vitali Klitschko > Lewis's win over Vitali Klitschko.

If there isn't any clean knockout. Then beating someone by breaking their will > beating someone by having the referee stop the fight, whilst the opponent's will is still there.

The outcome of Byrd vs Lewis was decided by Byrd's defense and tactics. Byrd didn't take half the damage that Lewis took from Vitali and still injured Vitali just as bad, if not worse.

 

Yet, Vitali was still willing to continue. That's how low he thinks of Lewis's power and punches. And that's how pathetic Lewis's punches were. When he couldn't force a total scrub like Vitali Klitschko to willfully give up or totally incapacitate him.

 

So vitali is a scrub, lewis is pathetic, povetkin is a weak midget....

Why do you even watch this sport?

 

And the Wlad of 2017 also wasn't the same Wlad who dominated the HW division for around a decade. He was coming off his biggest 2 year layoff of his career whilst age 41. But was still more than willing to fight Anthony Joshua whilst arguably being a shot fighter at such an old, retirement age. The same Joshua who has a 100% stoppage record and who is about 14 years younger than Wlad, young enough to be his son.

But we are to believe he was scared to fight someone like Lennox Lewis at the time whilst still in his prime, someone who didn't pose anywhere near the threat that Joshua posed?

Only a deluded individual would believe that utter nonsense you're spouting! Or a total idiot!

Lennox Lewis retired like the coward that he is. Whilst Wladimir Klitschko fought on for much longer and for much more fights. He had no problem dispatching Kubrat Pulev (a guy who is on Vitali Klitschko's level) far more convincingly than Lewis beat Vitali Klitschko. And Wladimir Klitschko did all that whilst he was the same age that Lewis was at when Lewis retired.

And Wlad still had the guts to come back at age 41 to fight someone like Joshua with a 100% stoppage record whilst having a 14 year age disadvantage. Whilst Lewis was too scared to fight someone who was only a few younger than him before he even reached age 40.

The only guy who avoided the fight was Lewis!

 

Can you imagine watching the boxing down at the pub with him?

 

Wlad believed Joshua was was too green / inexperienced and thought it was the right time to get him before he developed any further. He even admitted to this during the presser.. And he was totally right. Joshua was green and still just a novice , Wlad just overestimated his own ability and believed he was better than he actually is.

The same Wlad wouldn't make it past 5 rounds against todays Antony Joshua.

And yes , Wlad had no intention whatsoever in facing Lewis back then. He hid behind his bigger , braver brother.

 

Tkosix

 

Tdsix.

 

I could.... and I'd buy the beer... all SIX ROUNDS