Theoretical Lewis Vitali rematch March 2004

Lewis by dec

 

tko6, this has been done conclusively already.

 

**** me, not this again.

What has happened to this forum?

 

Lennox Lewis brutal KO5

 

No worries buddy, its just that this thread will be an opportunity for that UFC idiot to troll everyone for 20 pages again.

 

He almost had him out in the 5th in their actual fight. If he had one more training camp and fight in him, a prepared Lewis, with the fitness and sharpness to go along with his talent, would get Vitali out when he has him in trouble.

 

To answer the original question.....

A couple of well placed shots opens up the scar tissue again in about 4-5 rounds, then game over.

 

I've always thought a rematch would be an entirely different fight because of the experiance of the first.

Vitali would not fight at such a high pace and would not try so desperately to get Lewis out of there early on because he failed to finish Lewis off in the first fight and being too reckless cost him. He knows he's the busier fighter and that he can hurt Lewis provided he doesn't exhaust himself trying.

Lewis would come in lighter and more focused but would know that he would be unlikely to stop Vitali and couldn't count on inflicting the cuts again but also knowing that he had a better inside game and that Vitali, for him, is very hittable.

I would expect both men to be far more cautious in a rematch and to fight more defensively - Lewis looking to pace himself and win it on points and Vitali looking to do the same or end it late counting on Lewis's stamina to let him down.

Honestly, I think a rematch could have been won by either man.

With his head not really in the game anymore, Lewis was there for the taking and Vitali had all the tools to beat him but, and it's an important but, Lewis still had the ability to pull through and win if he was focused enough.

 

I would take Lewis on the provision that he could get "up" for one last fight. Whether he could or not is another matter hence his retirement. Tho still a very good fighter the guy was well aged.

 

Klitschko.

Old heavies just cannot bring their A game after a tough bout. That's why you always see setups or soft touch fights after a tough fight. Putting a heavyweight at that age in 2 successive tough fights just does not play out.

 

Lewis knew he was lucky the first time around, down 4-2 on all cards, and tired. He wasn't winning the re-match he promised and quickly retired once the WBC order the re-match caught red-handed trying to make easier fights.
If the re-match happened in 2004, I say Vitali via TKO in rounds 5-9.

History shows us; one fighter wanted the rematch, the other was not being truthful and did not want it.
Lewis said his mother wanted him to retire. Um, okay but I guess she was okay with Lennox trying to make matches with Roy Jones and Kirk Johnson!

The truth is Lewis quickly retired once the WBC ordered the re-match and since he only held the WBC belt at the time, did not have easier options.

 

no need to rematch a guy stopped inside 6, he was obviously overmatched.