Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko II.

Prime Vitali in the performance of his life blew his wad against an overweight old Lewis.

 

Lewis would have lost if not for the cut. He got lucky. Then he retired. He knew his time was up.

 

Absolutely, he didn't want anymore Klit.

 

Can you imagine if that was young offensive minded Wlad in there landing those 1-2’s on Lewis’ chin instead of Vitali. Lol He’d have been on his back again.

But Vitali definitely was the smarter fighter and absolutely knew the adjustments he was going to make going into that rematch. That’s why he wanted it so bad. Vitali wins it by stoppage before round 7

 

Lennox would turn that mans face into mincemeat again.

Loved the first fight and was gutted there was no rematch. But i don't blame Lennox, he got the win and finished on top.

 

Lewis.
Vitali has the element of surpise against an aging half trained fighter. Run it back inside six months and Lewis wins again.
Leave it a year or two and Vitali might get over the line but holding on for dear life after having an uppercut nearly take his head off is the image from that fight lasts.

 

Vitali whoops him hard, and it isn't even a debate in my mind.

Believe it or not boxing is 90% mental. Lewis was already checked out by that point, hence no rematch. An ounce of doubt in yourself is bad news in boxing, let alone the highest level on the world stage.

Lewis wasn't getting younger nor improving, whereas Vitali hadn't even hit his super prime yet.

Lewis accomplished everything and had nothing to prove BUT the Vitali fight. Taking a dangerous fight just to prove you can still hang with the up and comers was just not worth it in Lewis' mind and he wisley retired.

Lewis lowkey has an ego. If he was confident he 100% would have taken the fight.

All of you backing Lewis are trippin hard. This isn't a prime for prime debate, this is a debate on the outcome of the fight in 2003~2004. And to the posters talking about adjustments Lewis could make, lol if you think Vitali wouldn't also. He isn't a stubborn simpleton that only knows how to fight 1 way. He is quite literally arguably the most intelligent boxer in history. Lewis does not win period.

 

Lewis would have reopened the cuts and would've stopped him again

 

Lewis won via world class ducking.

 

Does anyone in their right mind turn down $50 million in boxing (at that time)?

 

Lewis beats him again

Simply the better fighter

 

Vitali. Lewis was only getting older, more demotivated and worse, Vitali the opposite.

Vitali also fought extremely stupid in that match, I doubt he'd make the same mistake. He felt Lewis gassing and kept trying to meet his pressure and melt him on the inside, not realizing how badly he was getting busted up in the process due to his insane chin. He dominated and almost KO'd Lewis in the first 2 rounds when they boxed at range, he should have worked harder to keep the fight there.

 

I think Vitali's hanging his hands down low style/defence worked against him as it didn't work like it did vs the shorter heavyweights against a sharp shooter like Lennox. I wouldn't say he fought extremely stupid though.

 

Not gonna predict myself just going to leave it as one of those what if's.