vitali raised his game to a new level,but still got beat up by an under prepared LL.experience would have got him stopped in another couple of rounds
Don't get me wrong, Vitali was ahead on the cards and doing better until the 6th round. But his face didn't cut itself! Get over it already.
I am asking again. Why was Lennox saying the following in April of 2003, before the Vitali bout? Clearly this doesn't sound like a man who feels he's done and wants to retire on the spot? * Lewis went into 2003 saying he still has a good year of fighting ahead of him and people are crying out for him to fight. * Then, after the Vitali fight he asks for doctors certificates from Vitali "I will only fight him if he is 100% cleared by the doctors regarding his eye and the stitches. I don't want to be held liable for him becoming blind after a rematch". * Vitali brings the certificates from LA clinics saying it's safe for him to box. * Then Vitali takes apart Johnson in 2 rounds, becomes WBC mandatory challenger. * Then Lewis goes into hiding for four months, stops giving interviews. * Then the WBC threatens to strip his belt unless he fights Vitali immediately. * Lewis announces his retirement. Please explain how Lewis' post fight conduct can not leave a bitter aftertaste in a boxing fan's mouth? Thank you.
Utter bull****. An old, past it,fat Lewis whose balance was completely gone still beat Vitaly. Those uppercuts in the 6th finished him off. ****ing get over it.
The sad fact is Lewis behaved unworthy of a champion after the fight. It's good he retired, he clearly didn't have the hunger anymore that it takes to be champion anymore. That doesn't take away anything from his terrific win and his display of toughness and raw power in his win against Vitali. He just should have retired sooner, instead of holding the division hostage and millions of boxing fans in the dark for 10 months or so. He could have retired 8 weeks after the Vitali fight "Sorry folks that's it, I have done everything I had to do and I feel there are no more challenges left for me". Unfortunately his ego got in the way and his conduct was less than champion-like.
Not at all. I think they're good fighters. Its just that I tend to group their fans with child molesters and people who talk at the theatre.
Nothing wrong with realizing your past your prime and retiring. Maybe he should have given Vitali another shot but he already battered him when he was probably 60%, i dont know what else he had to prove.
Vitali was ****ing him up. I'm one of the biggest Klitchsko bashers out there, but it is what it is. Lewis was clearly past it though.
It was Lewis on his way out and he still pulled out the win...Lewis and Vitali at there best would be a win for Lewis!!
Are you kidding me? After what the man gave the sport you're focusing on and bitching about leaving a bitter taste in your mouth? Please.... He was a 38 year old man who'd given over 25 years of his life to the sport, he'd earned the right to retire whenever and wherever he wanted and from the Klitschko fight he knew he wasn't the same guy he was 10 years before. It wasn't Klitschko that retired Lewis, it was Lewis that retired Lewis. He knew he didn't have it anymore and decided to go out on top. Hell it could have been Byrd, Tua, Wlad, anyone in that ring and I guarantee Lewis would have retired afterwards because he knew he wasn't hungry. I think the fact that prior to Vitali he hadn't fought in over a year tells you just how hungry he was. Does that sound like a guy who's still motivated for the sport to you? The man had an ego, when the cameras were on and the reporters were writing he'd say **** to keep the fans onside. Infact pre Vitali he used the old cliche 'I'm in the best shape of my life', I suppose you believed that aswell huh? I suppose another Roy Jones, Holyfield, Hearns or Ali type scenario would make you guys happy eh? Punch drunk because that's all it takes, one fight too many. If Lewis rematched Vitali he'd have even less motivation than he'd shown in his last few fights. Tua was his last great piece of work, it took a defeat against Rahman to motivate him for the rematch, as good as he was against Tyson that was more down to Tyson, then he goes out on his shield and gives his all against Klitschko. Let it the **** go.
Yeah, that's why Lewis almost took Vitalis head off in the 6th, an obvious sign about how '****ed up' he was. Both guys were exhausted, the next couple of rounds could have gone either way.
I have to disagree. Lewis deserved what he got when the fight was stopped but a cut can happen anytime. He wasn't landing so much to "bust him up" he needed only the telling blow that created the cut. Vitali appeared the better man that night and Lewis would have needed to improve before a rematch.