Lewis reason for not giving vitali a rematch.

Although this is likely true, I suspect there a pride element involved, and it is conceivable that Lewis (or any other boxer for that matter) honestly believes that if he's at his very best, no one can beat him. To be at the top you ready do have to believe that to be the case.

 

THis makes no sense at all, because something did stop him, the doctor stopped him. But if you're implying but for the cut, nothing would have stopped him, that's hard to say, especially considering Lewis won the last round on all three of the judges cards and had Vitali drapped all over him for a large part of the round.

 

Lewis beat him at his worst... A rematch would have been nice, but still, Lewis beat him at his worst.

 

This is a ridiculous argument. Lewis was the champion and he stopped Vitali. He didn't owe him a rematch.

There's nothing more to say about it than that.

 

Very good post. The problem (if you want to call it that), is that there is enough points on either side of the equation to make a valid argument for their favourite fight. If you're a Vitali fan you blame the cut and your agrument is that but for the cut Vitali would have won and time simply ran out, and if you're a Lewis fan you'll argue that the cut is part of the game and came as a result of him trying to hurt Vitali which he did. Vitali fans will then point to how tired Lewis was when the fight stopped, and Lewis fans will point to the upper cut he landed, the fact that Vitali was drapped all over him and the state of his face when the fight was stopped. Then speaking of the fight being stopped the Vitali fans will point to the score at the time of the stoppage to justify (I guess) some moral victory or some victory that may have occurred had the fight not been stopped.

So there's something for everyone in that fight.

 

Two comments. The first is that it was far from an easy fight, and the second is that Lewis won and that stage in his career had really no obligation to give Vitali a rematch. The sad story of life is that you're lucky if you get one chance to fight for the title, and Vitali had at least 3 round to try and get Lewis out of there before the fight was stopped and he failed to do so. End of story.

And regardless of "the talk" lewis can do, we mustn't forget who actually won the fight.

You seem to imply he never.

 

When you come right down to it, that's the bottom line, although it would have been a lot better if he had make that clear in the interview. But I suspect after coming off a tough, tough fight you don't really have the capacity to think a great deal before you talk, and he was likely hyped on adrenaline.

 

Most fighters get out of the sport way too late. Very few are smart enough to know when it's time to retire. Lewis was one of the smart ones.

 

dealdeal:good

 

Agree 100 %

 

Or mabye Lewis didn't want to lose?

 

Although I like Lewis. I agree with this

 

What a lame load of ****. I liked Lewis going way back and saw his potential, but I think that after he crushed a crippled and paraylzed frozen stiff Golota things got to his head. First, nice guys don't beat the **** out of you and second, he did NOT perform poorly in the 1st fight and that is the reason why he didn't want any part of a rematch. That's like Bowe saying the same **** and not fighting Golota in a rematch. Lewis could have come back for the rematch in the best shape of his life, as Bowe did with Golota, and it would not have helped him. The style is the same!

 

Excellent post and point :good

 

It's over with and understandable why Lewis turned it down. At least Lewis was honest enough to admit he's done with the sport, he's clearly old and can't handle a fight like that anymore not mentally nor physically being at the end of his career. If you look more into his training camp for Johnson(the man Vitali replaced on two week notice) it was more of a celebration retirement camp than a serious one, they were done mentally after Tyson. I was one of the biggest fans that bashed on Lewis when the Vitali fight was over for not making the rematch but looking back at it, at least he was honest about it, Lewis was done with mentally and Vitali was hungry, both fought and the result was there so let's move on.