Heavyweight Division if Lennox did not leave

lennox would of got knocked out within his next couple of fights providing the quality of opposition remained good. he just didn't have the desire anymore and was getting on in age. the vitali/wlad era would still have happened pretty much the way it has.

 

Agreed

 

Lennox would have eventually been beaten by Wlad or Vitali.

Especially the way he was starting to come in fat on fight nights. The desire wasnt there anymore. I think he left at a good time and preserved his legacy. Not too many people can say they beat every fighter they ever fought.

 

Any victory post-Vitali against Lennox would have been tainted by Lennox's decline. It may have passed the torch but it would not have been satisfying for anyone.

 

It was time for Lennox to leave and he was one of the few in history that left at just the right time.

 

Lennox did the right thing retiring. He wasn't 100% when going against Vitali who looked much fresher and hungrier.

Lennox was simply done from a psychological standpoint. He did everything he ever dreamed to do, had millions in the bank. He wasn't hungry anymore. Him staying along longer wouldn't have suddenly motivated him more. Why sweat in the gym to fight some huge Ukrainian guy with a steel chin and brass balls? Too risky for very little reward.

 

There is little doubt that Lennox would have lost the rematch against Vitali and after that he would have retired anyway. So it probably wouldn't be any different.

 

Lewis his self knew that he lost the desire to continue and nearly losing the Vitali was an early warning he quickly learned from. If he continued I would have picked Vitali to beat him in the rematch.

 

Once you're no longer motivated, as was the case with Lewis it's time to retire. In fact it's dangerous not to retire as the risk of permanent injury significantly increases. Lewis did the right thing, the only criticism is that he shouldn't have taken so long to decide. But then again look at Holyfield, he still won't call it a day.

 

The glass would be shattered again

 

I think Lennox would have won a rematch against Vitali, then went on to beat Wladimir. Wladimir would never get the Stewart treatment. so his flaws would all remain. The fans would write him off after Lewis destroyed him. Lennox would have maybe fought a few other guys ad retire. We'd be in worse off shape because, there would just be more guys around that the last champion defeated.
Conversely, he may have lost the title to some random guy, due to age catching up, then retired. That would be good for lineage, but we'd still be in bad shape but I still don't see any other good fighters coming up. .

 

Lewis would have decisively beat Vitali (TKO) in a rematch, KO Vitali's little brother in 4 rounds and cleaned out the division.

 

Lennox KO1 Vitali 2

Lennox KO1 Wlad

 

He would have taken the rematch immediately if that's true. Why wouldn't he?, there will be a lot of money behind it and if he's confident it's easy he would have gone for it, why ditch free/easy money?

Lewis was actually considering a rematch with Tyson at the time than a fight with Vitali and when Tyson's team turned it down he remained inactive/unheard of till he announced retirement one day before getting stripped. He did come out numerous times with different comments towards Vitali. He asked Vitali to check on the eye better, which he did and released medical report that he's fine and can take a fight. Then Lewis asked him to beat Kirk Johnson first since Johnson was the one who was supposed to fight Lewis to "earn" the #1 spot. Vitali did that and in impressive fashion, that's when Lewis was unheard of till he announced his retirement one day before getting stripped.

He knew a rematch with Vitali is wrong for him at that stage. Vitali was beyond hungry, the way he was literally begging for a rematch would discourage any aging fighter considering how tough/close their fight was.