Why do you think me watching the fight now having seen it many times over the years is suddenly going to change my opinion? It isn't. I've seen it probably more times than you have but it doesn't change the end result which is something that you appear to be struggling with. Which is why you have to make up a fantasy to support a narrative you've created in your head. It was a great fight but as I stated Lewis was already looking at retiring before that fight. He won it fair and square and decided to retire. That's all there is to it as I've said if it was a a foul then I could understand the butt hurt but it wasn't. Vitali had to take that opportunity when he had it and he failed. He was a great fighter but Lewis was just better and the resume and achievements support my position. It's as simple as that.
And unless you were under the influence of hard drugs you'd have seen Lewis getting his arse kicked, lacing Vitali's face then acting like a petulant child in the post fight interview, promising a rematch then retiring cos his mum told him to. I wonder what that was all about...
Lewis won, albeit because of a cut, however cut was caused by a punch by Lewis, and stoppage was on advice of ringside medic. Would/could Lewis have won rematch, yes i think he would, however Lewis decided to Lewis retire, he was healthy, wealthy and his brain cells all in tact. Why would he feel the need to put his 38 going on 39 yr old body through another training camp and a tough fight, he retired when he wished to, whilst at the top, that sounds mighty wise/fine to me.
Lewis and he would have made it decisive! Vitali had his opportunity and wasn’t good enough, that’s a fact whether VK fans like it or not! More than that a prime Vitali faced the very poorest version of Lewis, unmotivated, semi-fit, trained for a different fighter and bored with less than worthy opponents who didn’t offer any real challenge.
Lewis will be ready, but Vitali would be ready too. He didn't have a proper camp, and was just a late replacement. I would say at their current career stage - Vitali.
He had a proper camp,he was to fight Cedric Boswell on the undercard. When Kirk Johnson pulled out then Vitali signed.