Thread: Was Lennox Lewis a coward for not rematching Klit?

A win is a win is a win.... Vitali couldn't continue. End of story!

Originally Posted by ykdadamaja

A win is a win is a win.... Vitali couldn't continue. End of story!

He could, and he wanted to, but the doctor was right to stop it. Point is Vitali was up on the cards and THAT should have earned him a rematch, but whatever it's all done and dusted and neither guy is fighting again.


Why can't people just appreciate that fight which was a really fun fight? That was an exciting fight...though people will say it was "sloppy" but that's because it was a spur of the moment fight and I think that added to why it was such a fun fight to see unfold.

Lennox had achieved everything by the time he fought Vital I, he had unified the titles, beaten Holyfield and Tyson, beaten the pretenders like Tua and Grant, avenged his loss against Rachman. After vitali he would have had to face others like Peter, Wlad, Ruiz, Value .... So where does he stop? He retired at the right time.

Originally Posted by ykdadamaja

He would have gotten beaten by a younger fighter who wasn't of his era... he solidified his claims as the best HW of the 80's and 90's... who go into the 00's with younger comp that would definitely out-work him?

Worse than that- a ko one could have stomached, if he was winning technically. But he would have lost on points to Vitali. He couldn't stomach that.

Really? I only think a handfull of fighters in the history of the sport would come out on top of Lewis if they were to fight prime v prime.

I respect his decision even though I was sort of a fan at least he was man enough to not sit alone in a room because he took that other fight that may have had him talking out of one side of his mouth saying these words,"Do you think I carried this thing a little too far?"

We don't get to choose how we lose or win... it is determined. Vitali could not continue under those circumstances. This is why we have judges, ring doctors and a ref. Vitali could not continue- if left up to him, he would have lost an eye.

This is PROFESIONAL SPORTS, ladies... better yet, PROFESSIONAL BOXING! A large way where it is different from amateurs is the fact that everything is everything- particularly with boxing. You can win every round, win on all scorecards, be miles ahead on points, but if you're eff'd up, then you're eff'd up. Period. A win is a win is a win....

Originally Posted by Master

Lennox had achieved everything by the time he fought Vital I, he had unified the titles, beaten Holyfield and Tyson, beaten the pretenders like Tua and Grant, avenged his loss against Rachman. After vitali he would have had to face others like Peter, Wlad, Ruiz, Value .... So where does he stop? He retired at the right time.

#1 Lewis avenged defeat vs Hasim Rahman and NOT light flyweight Muhammad Rachman...HUGE difference.

#2 No Lennox Lewis would not have been obligated to fight anyone else but HAD HE there were only 2-3 viable candidates WBA title holder John Ruiz, IBF title holder Chris Byrd, and perhaps Kirk Johnson who he had originally scheduled to fight or Corrie Sanders.

He did retire at the right time and no that doesn't make him a coward, he was smart to retire when he did.

Originally Posted by El Kabong

Originally Posted by Master

Lennox had achieved everything by the time he fought Vital I, he had unified the titles, beaten Holyfield and Tyson, beaten the pretenders like Tua and Grant, avenged his loss against Rachman. After vitali he would have had to face others like Peter, Wlad, Ruiz, Value .... So where does he stop? He retired at the right time.

#1 Lewis avenged defeat vs Hasim Rahman and NOT light flyweight Muhammad Rachman...HUGE difference.

#2 No Lennox Lewis would not have been obligated to fight anyone else but HAD HE there were only 2-3 viable candidates WBA title holder John Ruiz, IBF title holder Chris Byrd, and perhaps Kirk Johnson who he had originally scheduled to fight or Corrie Sanders.

He did retire at the right time and no that doesn't make him a coward, he was smart to retire when he did.

Number 1 you knew who I meant.

Number 2 some dick would have said what about this guy or that one ....

Originally Posted by Master

Number 1 you knew who I meant.

Number 2 some dick would have said what about this guy or that one ....

How difficult is it to spell Rahman it's 'Rah' then '-man'....plus he's like 200 pounds heavier than Rachman.



That makes no sense, Lewis retired without fighting those guys anyway, he had no plan to fight Ruiz or Byrd much less the others because he felt they were beneath him and they did not deserve any attention from him regardless of how the fight vs Vitali went. Sure Byrd and Ruiz had a point what with holding the belts and all but Lewis let go of those a long time ago with no intention of reuniting them.

No. Lewis was not a coward. He was smart and a realist.

Let's say Lennox DID continue boxing, who would have finally ended his title reign?

Lewis knew when to retire, he would've lost any rematch with Vitali and knew that too. His time was up.

@El Kabong I think guys like Valuev or prime Haye would outhustle him as he approached 39 or 40 years old.

Valuev wasn't "out hustling" anyone neither was Haye