"Len Lewis vs. Vitali Klit" June 2003--CLASSIC WARFARE!

if watching fat old lewis tko some guy that's supposed to be a prime example of a beastly modern heavyweight is your idea of classic warfare...

 

Lennox TKO 6 Vitali

 

Vitali was cut over the eye, down the cheek and across the top lip. This wasn't the lucky punch/graze that some make it out to be.
Vitali was taking stinging shots from Lewis and paying the consequences.

I had the fight a lot closer but by that last round it was clear to me the fight was starting to turn in Lewis' favour and VK was tiring.

The crowd were very pleased to see a much more competitive fight than they'd expected and everyone likes an underdog. Vitali milked that for all it was worth, to his credit. Had he kept quiet, I don't think there would be many people still talking about that fight today.

Two things that always turn me off VK in that fight are

1) The way he whinged and complained afterwards like he'd been robbed and started getting shitty with Lewis and his team. Very unprofessional considering half his face was hanging off.

2) After a tussle VK fell over and Lewis went over to help him up. Watch the replay. Klitschko clearly tries to kick Lewis in the head! That is a real ***** move and I cant believe people dont mention it more often.

I agree that Lennox was right to retire after. He was clearly on the slide and had nothing left to prove. That said, Lewis' form in rematches was pretty spectacular and I wouldn't have been suprised had he come out on top more clearly second time around.

 

In the bigger picture of heavyweight title fights this past 100yrs or so, its nothing special. Title fights in this new century though is a different story. I must admit, and im a big advocate of Lewis, that i wasnt impressed with the overall fight on the 1st,2nd and even 3rd viewing. However, the more ive watched it the more im seeing things i never previously seen, or took in, if that makes sense. I would have no argument with you putting it high up in heavyweight fights since 2000, but then it could be justifiably countered with the fact that there hasnt really been any good fights of any note to compete with it

 

It's a classic, no doubt.

 

I still would have liked to see a return bout.

 

Lewis paid dearly for his reckless decision to face far more dangerous fighter two weeks prior to the scheduled fight. "old", "shot", "out of shape" bs aside - he was not tactically prepared for the fight and was lucky to escape from what was shaping up to be a major upset.

My major gripe about Lewis is his messy affair of exiting from the sport following the fight:
- negotiating for the rematch
- then wanting his own doctor to check Vitali's injuries before the rematch
- then flip-flopping when it became clear that Vitali was going to be fit to fight in December
- then retiring under the threat of facing Vitali again or being stripped of the title
- then inventing "nothing left to prove" story

That made it look like a desperate attempt to be able to continue boxing while ducking Vitali and not being labeled as a coward.

 

Possibly the best thing that's ever happened for Vitali Klitschko is that there wasn't a rematch.

 

Lewis didn't want any more tough fights. Doesn't mean he's a coward, but I think when it came right down to it he just plain didn't have it in him anymore and so he got out while he could.

 

Lennox was heavier than he should've been. But for every time I hear how "fat" he was:

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I have to wonder why he wasn't so immobile, looking as obese as this, that he couldn't even waddle to the ring. Man, how could Klitschko lose to this paralyzingly, morbidly obese man? :roll: How could a 6'5 superheavyweight ever hope to compete a whole seven pounds heavier than he was in one of his career best performances a year prior? 7 pounds will nearly kill a 6'5 249 pound man! Vitali basically lost to a 256 pounds obese cripple from a nursing home!

 

Indeed.

He made his name from losing to Lewis.

 

Good fight yes, but the tide was beginning to turn in Lewis' favour. Minus cuts, I think he'd have pulled out a win in the late rounds. Brewster - Liakhovich is a far superior fight in my opinion, though. It's rare in any weight division to see a fight with just so many clean shots landed by both boxers. Definitely a favourite of mine.