Why did lewis retire and not rematch vitali?

Lewis said in a video interview on Maxboxing at the time that he was offered over 25 million for a rematch with Vitali.

 

I am surprised Karceno does not know about that.

It's widely known that Lewis was offered AT LEAST 25m for a Vitali rematch.

 

Isn't it quite telling how you're so sure of an alleged fact, then you are presented with evidence to the contrary and then you write an entire paragraph how the words (which were taken directly from Lewis' mouth) shouldn't be taken too seriously and were mere posturing?

Hilarious.

 

Lewis would (in his OWN WORDS) have loved to box a 5"11, 195lbs Jones Jr. or a faded, shot Tyson in a rematch for 25 million but it seems he felt the risk/reward didn't justify giving Vitali and us boxing fans a rematch for the same amount.

Beating a faded Tyson into a bloody pulp without taking a single punch is one thing, going to hell and back beating a hungry Vitali again is a much taller order. He could well have beaten Vitali again, hence I wouldn't call it cowardice or ducking, let's just say he simply felt he doesn't have to battle it out with young hungry guys anymore, no matter what the paycheck.

 

Because he was smart enough to realise when it was time to hang them up.

Not rocket science

 

I love the old, over weight and not trained argument for this fight. yes lewis was at the most heavy of his career..by a whopping 6 lbs, same as he was almost 10 years earlier.

6 lbs on a guy 6-5 and 250 isnt a lot of extra weight to be carrying, it might even help with power for a guy that big.

The fact is Lewis was dreadfully inactive, 4 fights in 3 years. Lewis was always Lazy and often took a lot of rds off. Frankly, it is a testament to the guy that he was able to win as much as he did considering how he trained and how lazy he often fought in the ring.

 

Oh, just wanted to add. Obviously Vitali remains the single best win in Lewis' record. The only guy that Lewis beat while the opponent was

a) at the peak of his prime
b) continued to have a reigning, dominant HW career after losing to Lewis

The rest of Lewis' opponents were already clearly on the decline by the time Lewis got in the ring with them and - after losing to Lewis - all of them climbed back down the hole of mediocrity they came from.

 

Lewis was scheduled to fight Kirk Johnson, a guy he knew and everyone else knew he could dominate and destroy easy. Vitali was a step in a few days before and Lennox left it late to get into good shape. Lennox struggled to beat Vitali and was already greying.

He had his money, his health and his legacy (just) in tact, and he knew Vitali may of beaten him. His time was up and he was a clever man retiring when he did.

Lewis is one of my favourite hw's of all time, and is up there with the best.

 

I agree that Vitali is a great win on Lewis's record and Vitali would be a difficult matchup for almost any heavy in history, but Lewis still got the best of him.

On that note, that version of Vitali would have beaten the **** out of any version of Wlad.

****, I think Vitali still whups Wlad today. Vitali actually takes care of business.

Wlad fights guys that match up EXCELLENT with him stylistically.

 

Here is a quote from a Lennox Lewis Biography, Mama's Boy - Lennox Lewis and the Heavyweight Crown, by Gavin Evans.

"

This content is protected

"

This was during a discussion with the Biographer before the Johnson fight fell through. No cameras, no paparazzi no need for posturing and I'll take this over a couple of interviews, when Lennox is essentially responding to the public buzz about a possible Lewis/Jones match-up - not to mention Roy's self-declaration as the number one Heavyweight, on the strength of a single bout in the division, at this time.

Lewis was right to guess that Jones was not really serious about the possibility of them meeting. Jones was already making his way back down to 175 for his match against Tarver, milking every ounce of his achievement at Heavyweight, along the way.

It was never going to happen and, although Lewis knew this, he put on a show, so as not to lose face and also force RJJ's hand.

As I have stated before, after Tyson , the plan was Johnson, Vitali and a Tyson rematch. Johnson pulled out through injury, Tyson decided not to take the rematch. Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko = W TKO6

You should read more factual literature on events away from the hype surrounding Boxing and Boxers, rather than reading into words recorded in the context of a Promotional Interview.

Bye now.



ps - the link in which I "Noted" that it was Manny talking up the Jones fight is as follows:

This content is protected

Posted by someone earlier in this thread.

 

No disputing that. Lennox did a great job in a grueling match of attrition.

 

The facts:

He gave boxing 20+ years of his life.
Came in at his heaviest weight ever and possibly the 2nd worst shape.
He'd earned vast wealth.
After a long hard look in the mirror decided enough was enough.

As for the Vitali rematch, sure it was an poor move by Lewis to offer Vitali a rematch and later deny but does anyone here think when the time comes to retire it'll be an easy choice? Especially when it's from something you love but don't have the tools for anymore?

Boxing is littered with guys who can't let go, I'm glad Lewis chose the right moment.

I'll go one further, if he didn't retire I'd be starting a thread called "Why the hell didn't Lewis retire after Vitali 1???

 

Check the records my friend. I dont believe youre stupid enough not to know that Vitali was Lewis' last fight.

Whoever he may have been thinking of fighting after, he obviously didn't believe it enough to go through with it.

Retired.

 

:happy

And you would not be the only one.

 

:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl