What If Wlad Klitschko Had Fought Lennox, Instead Of Vitali?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Fergy, Sep 13, 2026 at 8:45 AM.

  1. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2017
    Messages:
    32,438
    Likes Received:
    40,628
    What if Wlad had faced Lewis in 2003 ?
    Would Lennox have been too experienced and powerful for Wlad,or could Klitschko have avoided his brother's fate and found a way to beat the ageing champ?
     
  2. OddR

    OddR Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2025
    Messages:
    3,077
    Likes Received:
    3,273
    I think Lewis would have been too much in 2003. But maybe if Wlad could land the shots Vitali did he could have hurt Lewis so there is a punchers chance.
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2026 at 9:20 AM
  3. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2007
    Messages:
    52,268
    Likes Received:
    27,828
    Betting on Wlad to win in the same year he got sparked by sanders would have been a huge risk.
     
  4. Greg Price99

    Greg Price99 Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2018
    Messages:
    5,918
    Likes Received:
    11,980
    Wlad was yet to refine his strategic approach and even a past prime, out of shape Lewis would be favoured to match the results achieved by Sanders and Brewster. Wlad would have had a live punchers chance, though. There's a big difference between taking flush right hands from Wlad, than there is from Vitali.
     
  5. Boxed Ears

    Boxed Ears this my daddy's account (RIP daddy) Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2009
    Messages:
    58,760
    Likes Received:
    13,956
    Wlad's chances are greater because of his one-punch power to Vitali's chances but by then, greater than his own later chances would be, by having not honed a strategy that would not have ultimately worked on Lewis anyway. This is a who's first issue more than anything. It wouldn't go anything like Vitali. It ends in three, one way or the other. The orb that I have consulted has said so. I lean Lennox but Vitali's chances are frankly blown out of proportion for a potential rematch and just in H2H in general at their best(s). Ultimately, he wouldn't knock Lennox out before Lennox and Steward got down to understanding it's always Lennox's to lose by stepping up into the wheelhouse and roughing Vitali's face up. With Wlad, it's just whoever presses the button and Lennox has more variety of button-pressers he's likely to unload by one (uppercut).
     
    Tin_Ribs, Fergy and Greg Price99 like this.
  6. mhudson

    mhudson Active Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2022
    Messages:
    736
    Likes Received:
    1,048
    Obviously anything can happen, but Lennox is all wrong for 2003 Wlad.

    Lewis’ strength was underrated, as was his ability to make things physical, bend the rules and rough people up. For all the talk of Lewis as a chess player, he was often more effective when he was aggressive and physical; Golota, Grant, even Akinwande to an extent. Lewis was more vulnerable to getting caught in that mode, but very difficult to handle.

    Wlad had real trouble with stamina, avoiding being roughed up, and his chin was always a weakness. Not just his losses which everyone knows about, but even in wins like against Peter there was that physical vulnerability.

    Wlad hit harder single punch than Vitali, so he could land something. But it’s more likely to resemble Lewis-Grant than it is Lewis-Rahman I.

    Lewis didn’t look great against Vitali, but he still put him under intense pressure physically. His chin held up, but his skin didn’t.

    Wlad became a much more effective fighter later on, and was able to tie fighters up, keep his composure and avoid punishment. That version has a much better chance against Lewis.
     
    Tin_Ribs, Jakub79, TNSNO1878 and 6 others like this.
  7. MaccaveliMacc

    MaccaveliMacc Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2024
    Messages:
    6,872
    Likes Received:
    10,084
    Either he gets chinned and knocked out, or he managed to hit Lewis with his right hand and Lennox gets KOed. I would go with the former tho, 70/30.
     
    Fergy and OddR like this.
  8. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Loyal Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2014
    Messages:
    32,137
    Likes Received:
    43,295
    Wlad would have taken a nap.
     
    Fergy likes this.
  9. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic War for Souls Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2021
    Messages:
    9,265
    Likes Received:
    9,699
  10. The Long Count

    The Long Count Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2013
    Messages:
    15,619
    Likes Received:
    9,220
    I got Wlad by knockout. Sanders was a southpaw that was super aggressive. Different matchup. The Lewis that fought Vitali had no judge of range and was getting hit clean left and right in the opening two rounds. Wlad would have sparked him with his power. I know that’s the unpopular sentiment here but that’s how I see it.
     
    OddR and Philosopher like this.
  11. Meaghan

    Meaghan New Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Friday
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Instead of bleeding out, Lennox puts Wlad's lights out.
     
  12. KO_King

    KO_King Horizontal Heavyweight Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2023
    Messages:
    943
    Likes Received:
    2,026
    Lewis sparks him out early.
     
  13. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2012
    Messages:
    66,801
    Likes Received:
    87,810
    That version of Lewis was getting lit up like a christmas tree by Vitali, who is much less powerful than his brother. I mean, I guess even tubby Lewis had the power to switch Wlad off, but I think that the reverse is even more true. If it had been Wlad landing that stuff on Lewis ... naptime.
     
    Philosopher and The Long Count like this.
  14. Loudon

    Loudon Loyal Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2012
    Messages:
    42,118
    Likes Received:
    11,512
    The issue would have been, which type of Wlad would it have been?

    In real time, the fight would have been just 3 months after the demolition job by Sanders.
     
  15. Philosopher

    Philosopher Well-Known Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2024
    Messages:
    2,120
    Likes Received:
    3,340
    Yup, I agree.