Toughest fight of Lewis' career?

Maybe you are right. The problem is Mavrovic was hitting punches he had no right of connecting with against Lewis. I scored it 4 to him vs 8 to Lewis but I wouldn't mind watching it again as it's a fairly engaging scrap.

 

There's a lot of subtle work in there by the bread hustler. I highly recommend you watch it on 0.25x speed with the sound off at least a few times and then come back here and post your card. The results may surprise you.

 

Already have, read my scorecard. I have it WIDE for Lewis like most other people who watched the entire fight instead of the highlights, Mavrovic only won the 7th and the ones that Mavrovic could be given were close and even then i still had Lewis outlanding him in those close rounds. Take a look.

 

Vitali easy.

Took a pounding that fight then ran off into early retirement.

 

People like to pretend this fight was close when it clearly wasn't.

I think it had a lot to do with peoples expectations at the time. Lewis had crushed Golota and battered Briggs in the previous fights so to see Mavoric just eat huge punch after huge punch and keep coming skewered peoples perception of the fight and they end up giving Mavrovic too much credit for simply not getting blown away once Lewis connected cleanly.

As you say he maybe won 2 rounds, yes he had his moments but over a 12 round fight when your opponent is landing huge shots on you, it's not unfathomable that you'll land the odd good shot in response.

 

shannon briggs round 1

saved by early bell

 

Mercer for me, still can't believe Mercer didn't get the decision, as bad as the Campbell-end Hatton result for me.

 

Mercer for me also .

 

Agree it toughest fight, however unsure how you can say a nearly 38 yr old Lewis ran off into early retirement, he retired from the sport at appropriate time, he beat Vitali albeit on a cut, but beat him he did.

 

He was 37. That in my eyes is a prime seasoned HW age. Wlad / vitali were in their primes at that age. Lewis chose retirement instead.

That speaks volumes.

 

So would you say Muhammad Ali a year after his second Spinks bout, Joe louis who faced Marciano, or Larry Holmes after his second loss to Michael Spinks, were in their primes?

 

I am saying the game has moved on since the 50-60-70. People are living longer. Prime in the 50s was ALOT earlier. If you can understand that so be it. Louis was retired for number of years before he fought Marciano. ALI was already suffering from Parkinson. Not to mention all of the names were involved in serious 15rd wars in their career. Lewis on the other hand was fresh as a dazy in comparison. Yet he retired.

We all know why, he got whooped during TKO6 and retired.

Golovkin is 39 and going for a world title unification. Now that's brass.

 

Vitali. Hemce why he ducked the rematch like a coward

 

Walcott won the heavyweight title in 1951 at 37 yrs old, Archie Moore won Light heavy title past his mid 30s and indeed fought for heavyweight title in his late 30s so that sorta puts your claim that the fighters primes in 50s as ALOT earlier is not factually correct. Some primes are earlier in all eras and some are not, Mike Tyson was a wrecking ball at 20 but by his mid 30s a shell of former self/ability.

You state "Louis was retired for number of years before he fought Marciano". You are sure about that are you?

Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 1984 at age of 42, that is 6 years after he fought in second Spinks fight, i know Ali had immense abilities but to regain the World Heavyweight title then 2yrs later last 10 rounds with Holmes and over a year after that last 10 rounds with Berbick all while suffering from Parkinsons disease, i think not.

Yes Alis speech was showing signs of deficit a possible sign of Parkinsons, however so are many many boxers who are not Parkinsons sufferers, and Ali was deemed fit by doctors to fight in the Spinks, Holmes and Berbick bouts. Are you doubting the clinical expertise of these doctors as they either missed Alis Parkinsons condition, did not note any Parkinsons type symptoms that needed further investigations, or they knew but ignored them?

You think Lewis was fresh as a daisy, seriously?
Physically Lewis was carrying excess timber being career heaviest against Vitali, that not a sign of a good training camp , likewise psychologically he was not fresh, as Lewis is reported to have said after his defeat of Tyson, that he was finding it hard to find reasons to continue.
Lewis retired as the champion, having beaten every fighter he had faced even if that required a rematch, he retired healthy, wealthy and wise, i applaud any champion for doing so on their terms.

 

The last undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world was Lennox Lewis, that was 21 yrs ago, so you say the holder of that title was a coward, so what does that make those champions in last 21 years then?