Let's review Vitalis big wins..

Great, no, solid fighter with exception to his frail body, yes.

 

Let me try to explain it another way. Vitali basically came up as a pro in the late 90's around the same time as fighters like David Tua, Oleg Maskaev, Hasim Rahman, Andrew Golota, John Ruiz, Kirk Johnson, Mike Grant, Lou Savarese, Shannon Briggs, Chris Byrd, Ike Ibeabuchi, and a few other guys. During this time for the most part these guys were all fighting each other, and making their way up through the ranks.
Vitali on the other hand stayed in his country and brought over handpicked guys to fight always avoiding the real tough fighters and the guys with real punching power. Usually a fighter starts stepping up his competition around his 15-20th pro fight to prepare himself for the upper echelon of the division. Vitali for the most part did not. Fighting guys like Obed Sullivan, Louis Monaco, Orlin Norris, and Vaughn Bean are all a step below the competition I mentioned.
The better fighters are not going to just quit or give up like the Julius Francis and Louis Monaco level fighters, they're going to keep fighting until theyre stopped. Look at Brewster for example, he was getting his head handed to him but he fought on and eventually caught up to Wladmir.
Thats what makes a great fighter. All fighters at some point are faced with adversity and the ones who fight through it are the ones that move forward. Lennox Lewis had it with Ray Mercer, Wladmir had it with Sam Peter, and Vitali had it with Lewis. Contrary to what many think on this website, Vitali was starting to fold in the Lewis fight. He hadnt been prepared properly to fight a guy like lewis who wasn't going to give up like many of the others Vitali had faced previously. He was slowing down, and Lewis was landing harder and cleaner towards the end of the fight. Keep in mind too, this wasnt the best Lewis, this was the Lewis who was ready for retirement. So while Vitali was winning, his spirit was being taken away from him as the fight progressed, and thats why Lewis was able to take his face apart.
To me Vitali was a good solid fighter with good potential, but he never fought the caliber of opposition to prepare him for the better level fighters, and when he did step up to the best of what was left of Lewis, he failed. So to call him a great fighter or an established champion is absurd off of two meaningful fights both of which he lost. :smoke

 

Hater because I dont agree with you? :-(