http://www.secondsout.com/uk-boxing-features?ccs=338&cs=20602 Lennox interview from 2006: There you have it folks. This should stop all the endless discussions. Lewis thought it wasn't worth it. Too much risk (legacy and probably health, too) for too little gain. Lewis says he boxed primarily for glory, not for money. Money just came with glory, but never was his prime motivation.
wow you people delusional. yes the "shots he took from Lewis" did that to Vitali's faces. Let's ignore the slow motion instant replays showing the exact punch that cut open Vitali's face. A punch the missed completely except for the wrist part of the glove which opened the huge gashes. Lewis was clearly losing, winded, and about to get ko'd until a lucky missed punch opened up the cut that stopped the fight. Lewis' response to Larry merchants questions made it obvious even he knew he got lucky and would have lost.
I don't know what fight you were watching, but Lewis was coming out guns blazing at the start of round three. That was what caused the punch in the first place. You also act like the cut was a fluke or something, but Lewis is known for busting his opponents up. The cut Vitaly had was the worst I have seen, and in a rematch much more likely to be reopened (i.e. scar tissue). Vitaly was also cut on the cheek and in the mouth and bled profusely, all through punches. Vitaly was leading by 1 swing round.
Lewis would have come in in much better shape and would have busted both of Vitali's eyes this time! All the Vitali nuthuggers can say what they want but at the end of the day Lewis TKO6 Vitali.
I thought Lewis showed great heart and a strong resolve in the Vitaly fight, if he was unsure whether he could dig that deep again. Then by all means, he made the right decision to hang up his gloves. What more did he have to prove, both Klitchko's resumé's are pale in comparison. McCall was the no. 1 contender, his prime was early to mid nineties. Rahman was a top 5 contender at the time he fought Lewis, the fact that he has been able to pick up fractions of the world championship since then also makes him much more than a journeyman - prime beginning of this century. Lewis did everything he set out to achieve, what is not to like about that?
It's a common scenario for the younger up and coming challenger to beat the aging champion seeing a changing of the guard. Vitali had his chance, gave it his best shot but come up short against an ATG heavyweight, theres no disgrace in that. I would also bet good money on Lewis winning a rematch, Lewis is the superior fighter. Why can't people just let this go.
People should accept that Vitali was not owed a rematch before they suggest that Lewis was scaredatsch
I always picked Vitali to win a rematch if it happened. Lewis didn't take it because he knew he's past it at that point and needs to be 110% to beat a prepared/willing/hungry Vitali in a rematch. Vitali by decision. Lewis' chin is way overlooked for unknown reasons to me, he took bombs from Vitali like no one ever had and kept coming back with vicious counters of his own. Bad fight for an aging Lewis, he knew it wasn't the best choice to take it when he announced his retirement.
......Lewis promised vitali a re match.....Lewis made vitali jump thru hoops for a rematch then reneged....but more importantly boxing fans were owed a rematch.....
Lewis first was on the record saying "Yea he will get a rematch". Then was hiding for a whole year, BLOCKING THE WBC BELT and then finally retired before he was about to be stripped. That was kinda lame. Legal but not good sportsmanship. He could have retired on the spot, or at least 2-3 months after the fight with Vitali. Why didn't he? Surely he had enough time to make up his mind.