Lennox Lewis v. Vitali Klitschko - does anyone think this was a good fight ?

John Thomas made a candid point on this very thread a few pages back, about week ago. What is the linear title these days. If Lewis were to come out of retirement tomarrow and start off with a tunup against a 15-7 journeyman, and got his ass kicked, would that journeyman THEN be considered the lineal champion? I really don't think that we can link this title to anyone anymore. The fighter who is considered THE MAN, is generally the one who is the current concencus best in the division. That man right now, until proven otherwise , is Wladimir Klitshcko. The concept of "linear champion" is something that I think died years ago...

 

I think it is a worthwhile footnote- that the champ beat the guy who was the champ before, all the way back to Ali (well Patterson really, but Ali was better). I'd hate to see the chain broken.

 

Based on that fight alone, you'd think that Lewis was an absolute Neanderthal who relied on size and strength alone; you'd be shocked to hear he outboxed Holyfield and demolished Razor Ruddock.

You'd think the same thing about Vitali, but you'd be right.

 

Well, Lewis fans, and you seem to be one, always bring out "he beat everybody in the Ring and avenged his losses "

Funny thing, when the shoe is on the other foot he all over sudden got old ,nothing to proof, was fat, had all the accomplishments, could not get motivated plus some other associated nonsense but was ready to jump on a total hasbeen Tyson or Glass Roy.............instead of facing VK.... I guess a man got's to know its limitations................this would have not been a re match with a hopeless sparring partner crackhead or a borderline Journeyman who micromanaged even the wristwraps before the actual fight, talking about being unfocused before the fight of your life...lol.

There would be endless crying if VK would have won and denied Lemmie a rematch......Lewis has my respect in what he accomplished over his career but in that case he simply punked out , no ifs or buts.

 

no,but spectacular

 

You make a good point, and there is definitely a case of a double standard at work.
Lewis only gave rematches when he could gain from one.

 

If that happened, the 15-7 journeyman goes to 16-7, then quickly gets a title shot vs Vitlai, of coruse.

 

No offense, but talk of linearity is a bit absurd when one considers Marciano broke the link by retiring undefeated.

 

Marciano and Tunney both retired with the title and the line is broken following their reigns as champions. But the line that ended with Lewis goes all the way back to the Marciano retirement and that is pretty cool. When Marciano retired, there were not four seperate world championships floating around, so it is more difficult now to find the real champion. The Klitschkos will not fight each other and who knows when the WBA deal will get straightened out for a unification against one of the Kitschkos? We won't have a real heavyweight champ for quite some time, but if Lewis had given Vitali the rematch he promised, Vitali would be the real champ.

 

☝

 

It was a fun slugfest, I would like to have seen a rematch

 

One of the best of the new century imo.

 

Exactly. Sometimes it's great that in some fights guys just have to throw the skill and finesse out the door and bring it up from deep inside. Lewis was forced to do this and Vitali was a willing "dance" partner. It turned into a brawl and one guys face didn't hold up. Foreman - Lyle is another that was just knock 'em down and drag 'em out modern caveman style.

 

The fight was not technically even close to the level of its importance. And later the historical significance of the fight.
Lewis beat the next generation champion.
Lewis' last fight launched him into ATG orbit.
Imho there is a similarity to how Zaire launched Ali into ATG orbit.
But the fight itself Lewis Vs. Vitali was not at the technical level of "launching into orbit".