To be honest too many boxers don't realize when is the best time to let other younger boxers pick up the reigns. I've more respect for Lennox Lewis getting out with his health when he did than for other great Boxers who are getting KO'd by people who wouldn't have had a chance against them in their prime (e.g. Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr, Tyson etc). For me the worst fights aren't the bore matches, the stinking decisions but the aging greats taking damage because father time has caught up with them as it does with everybody (e.g. Ali v Berbick) .
He was 38, hadn't fought for a year and was at a career heaviest weight. Watch the fight to see how flat footed and easy to hit he was. As for best win
Vitali would have pummeld Lewis even worse if Lewis was significantly lighter than he was on fightnight. It was a very physical fight and Lewis needed the mass edge and every pound he had to hang on and to snatch out the victory. giving weight away in such a fight would be dumbest thing ever, Lewis was fit and in excellent shape. Have you ever been into some combat sport, felt the physical strength of an opponent? I doubt it. Only Holyfield l could come close the being as an great win as the win over Vitali, problem is it was scored a draw
Lewis was at his best in the low 240s, Thats about 15lbs lighter, a 242 lbs Lewis would be every bit as strong,hit just as hard but would be faster. You're talking like he DELIBERATELY weighed his career highest. Look, he was supposed to fight Johnson, what would be seen as an easy match, so he didnt train too hard, Johnson pulled out with a couple of weeks to go and he was out of shape. Its that simple. You overlooked the fact that he was inactive and old aswell.
Lewis should have fought a rematch with Vitali, and then a rubber match of he lost. Then he should have taken on Wlad, Danny Willams, and then Tyson in an 'over-the-hill' type match up. He could have had two years off, fought Wlad again, then fight Chirosa. He was a *****! How can someone retire at 36, having beaten everyone he fought, after being a unified HW champion, and having stopped an opponent now running the division. For shame
Apologies, I dont look at Boxrec for every little detail. But, I also work as a boxing journalist, so i think I can claim to 'semi know my stuff' :good
Lewis' legs had gone in the early stages of the Vitali fight. He had no balance, he was uncoordinated and he looked like a genuinely shot fighter. Luckily, he was able to find some stability after a few rounds, which is when he started to take over, but if he had gone through another training camp, it's likely he would have been shot by the time of his next fight. Why carry on when shot and lose to a fighter not fit to lace your boots? Lewis has a great legacy and there'd be no need to spoil it. Had he beaten Wlad, people would diminish that win by correctly pointing out that Sanders and Brewster did the same at around the same time. He already showed he was superior to Vitali, so what did he have to fight on for? Lewis has a great legacy and didn't need any further fights.
Pay no attention to the moron callign you a moron, Lennox was 37 at the time. which makes that guy even more than a moron than you. Not that you were being a moron as getting a guys age wrong by one year is barely criteria for being dubbed 'moronic'. atsch
So Lennox Lewis retires at 38, with his health, his millions, a fantastic legacy, a hot wife (see pic) and then goes on to make a family of 3 children. http://www.torontolife.com/daily/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/lewis_chang.jpg *****? Not in my opinion. Wish I could have retired at 38 with millions instead of working my arse off and trying to make the day more interesting by posting stuff on a boxing forum. :rasta
err he was career heaviest weight. last time was even close to this weight he got ko'd by Rahman??? he looked **** even against Tyson and the fact that he was coming to thge end of a hard career fighting far superior opposition that Vitali. i actually like Vitali dont get me wrong. and ill back Vitali up if he loses or looks **** against weaker opposition at this advanced point in his career. I don't think Vitali was completly prime either when Lennox fought him hence why it wasn't his best win.
Of course he added the weight deliberately, it was an advantage that he outweighted Vitali by 8 pounds or what it was. Rahman was also seen as an easy opponent not to long before, don't you think he'd learned his lesson? He couldn't affort any more losses. Surely he would have been several pounds lighter if he had actually been fighting someone like Johnson on that day.. his weight depended on who he fought and the gameplan all over his career, Holyfield excellent inside fighter, he was lighter to keep the distance etc. Also it wasn't Lewis who seemed to be tired when the fight was stopped, he was losing the early rounds but came back strong after taking punishment and turned the fight around. he had no stamina problems or anything. 37 is not that old for a heavyweight that someone could be considered shot just by default because of that, Holyfield was 37 when he fought Lewis, still one of his best wins etc