Prime Vitali went toe-to-toe with OLD Lennox and got his a@$# kicked

[imp]

he woulda been KTFO after another 2 rounds, he was fading fast, Lennox was starting to find the mark with big shots and Vitali woulda been KTF OUT by the 8th/9th round tops.

There's proof of my point that the only reason the 2 klits are any "good" is that they are 6 ft 7 inches, have long ass orangutan arms in addition to their height, or shall we say in combination with their height. and backpeddle across the ring and run like sissies the minute anyone gets close.

They cannot go toe to toe with anybody their own size. Wussy trash. You give some guys a few more inches and same length arms and the klitschkos wouldnt even be in the Top 100.

Amen to that. I have no doubt in my mind that vitali would have got knocked out in the next round had the fight resumed...

Just by looking at the flow and the momentum of the fight, it was obvious that vitali was severely hurt, fatigued, and ready to be taken out at any moment..

Funny part is, lennox was old and out of shape yet he still beat the shit out of a prime vitali.. that shows volumes of the man.

Everytime I watch that fight, I appreciate lennox more and more.. Lennox Lewis was truly the last great HW of this generation..

Th clits are bitches and pedestrians compared to lennox.. lennox was actually a big man with real skills to go along with his killer instinct..

Vitali may have killer instinct but he's too clumsy ahd robotic, watching him box mkaes me laugh sometimes.. fuck him

So true

[ykdadamaja]

I don't want to give the excuse of taller and longer arms to the Klits. It would be too easy. Considering that boxing was, and still is, a smaller man's sport.

I also don't want to give a defeatist frame of mindset to young and shorter/smaller guys like Andy Ruiz and Bryant Jennings- guys who have major talent, but lack on size compared to the gargantuan heavyweights we have become accustomed to.

What did Tyson have to do? What did Shavers? Frazier? Guys like that- not really "big" guys, but guys that fought with what they had and crushed bigger guys.

With every puzzle there is a solution- Brewster, Bryd, Purity, Sanders and to some extent Peter, found out the puzzle.

[Max Power]

Ok this is just ridiculous.

Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko are about as good as each other and neither deserves disrespect for their encounter or the after math.

Let's look at some facts...

Sure Lewis was older, been off for over a year and out of shape for the fight, had only 2 weeks to prepare for Vitali etc. But Lewis was still more focussed and in better standing in this fight imo than in for instance the 1st fight with Hasim Rahman for example in which he got KO'd. He was also only 5 lbs over his usual fit weight and at 37 was not really old for a modern HW boxer.

Vitali also had only 2 weeks to prepare properly to fight Lewis who represented a far higher rise in competition than he'd ever faced. Whether Lewis had been his goal beforehand or not that must have been a very daunting prospect for Vitali.

Vitali beat the living shit out of Lewis in that fight and had he not been cut, Vitali would have probably stopped LEnnox or atleast won a UD. Lewis was almost completely out of breath at the end of the 6th and the only reason Vitali had somewhat faded was a result of his injury.

Lewis was lucky Vitali was cut, obviously the way it was though it had to be stopped or eventually it would have been KO win for Lennox like that.

I would tip a prime Lewis to beat a prime Vitali myself but only marginally, all bets off and would not be surprised if it went the other way.

Lennox won legit but after promising the rematch, witnessed Vitali destroy Johnson in 2 rounds and thought "fuck that shit" and threw in the towel. He knew better than to hang around. His time had come and he wisely retired!

Both fighters deserve their accolades!

[brocktonblockbust]

vit wouldve bitched out like wl;ad did against brewster. There is no doubt that in another 3 rounds TOPS vit wouldve been crawlin' 'cross the flo' on his hands and knees like his blowjob brother wlad-i-queer. vit was starting to fold by that 6th round, he was all shot up and spent, gasping for air like wlad with teh vasoleeeen excuse against brewster.

[Max Power]

Of course he'd faded a bit. He was gashed open like a tin of soup. Those cuts were unfortunate though, they were not caused by smooth leather against flesh. I know Vitali could not have won the fight like that that's why I'm not claiming this.

But I think Lewis thanks his lucky stars for what happened because in a rematch, Lewis would be fitter and better prepared but Vitali would be as well and hungry and confident and Lewis knew he would not be lucky enough to get him on a cut again. Vitali was Lewis's best opponent by far!

Vitali's thing with Byrd was weak but against Lewis he displayed the opposite, he showed great heart and determination and redeemed his image greatly! As for Wlad, he has some more embarrassing incidences to account for. Stamina issues, chin issues, and possible PED's issues.

You really don't like the Klits do you Brockton.. I think Wlad is boring and a bit cowardly and has had some embarrassing losses and Vitali's quit was ridiculous but I really respect there skills and I think they are 2 of the most formidable boxers of all time. I would not bet against them in many match ups!

[Master]

If Lennox was motivated and agreed the rematch Vitali would have been stopped by punches and not cuts. Vitali is lucky Lennox retired because there would not be much left after Lewis finished with him.

[Max Power]

Just like Lennox stopped Zelijko Mavrovic, Croatia's favourite grocer?

I can certainly buy the notion a better prepared and fitter Lewis in the rematch could have beaten Vitali the 2nd time round but it would have been an immense battle, no "one-sided destruction" to be spoken of.

Vitali Klitschko is definitely the best opponent Lewis faced!

[armin]

If Lennox was motivated and agreed the rematch Vitali would have been stopped by punches and not cuts. Vitali is lucky Lennox retired because there would not be much left after Lewis finished with him.

On what basis do you see vitali being stopped by punches? Lewis landed an upcercut on vitali in the fifth that hurt me just lookin at it, if that shit didn't stop him nothing would. Dudes been down once from a kick straight to the face when he was 18, he ain't getting finished by punches.

[imp]

Lewis is the best opponent vitali has ever faced.

Lewis beat vitali so bad it had to be stopped.

That version of lewis could have done the rematch and came back and probably ko vitali even quicker.

No one will ever know.

Vitali has that oliver mccall, danny glover, liam neeson type structure that is very hard to break.

[bigstinkybug]

Lewis is the best opponent vitali has ever faced.

Lewis beat vitali so bad it had to be stopped.

That version of lewis could have done the rematch and came back and probably ko vitali even quicker.

No one will ever know.

Vitali has that oliver mccall, danny glover, liam neeson type structure that is very hard to break.

*lol... the fight was stopped...Vitali didn't get KO'ed. if anyone was wobbled,it was Lennox..more than once. the cuts on Vitali's eye were very close to being thumbs... not only that, Lennox got away with holding behind the head and holding and hitting. Vitali was winning the fight by 2 points... and Lennox looked out on his feet. when it was stopped,Vitali is pleading with the ref not to stop it... the only one that got lucky that night it Lennox... then he promptly retired before they made him give a rematch.

[armin]

Lewis is the best opponent vitali has ever faced.

Lewis beat vitali so bad it had to be stopped.

That version of lewis could have done the rematch and came back and probably ko vitali even quicker.

No one will ever know.

Vitali has that oliver mccall, danny glover, liam neeson type structure that is very hard to break.

Again no ko or knockdown happened, master was arguing that vitali would have gotten ruined due to punches and not cuts in the rematch, there is no evidence not even speculaive for that happening.

[Max Power]

Look for all the Klitschko detractors sure, you are right. OF COURSE Vitali would have been stopped had the fight continued but that's only cause half his face was hanging off which was in no way due to clean punching. Obviously that would cause one to deteriorate and he couldn't finish the fight.

But as far as the fight goes, Vitali was beating the snot out of Lewis. And I am a Lennox Lewis fan! I hold Lennox as the GOAT myself but Lennox would have lost this fight were it not for good fortune!

Lewis got pulverised and by the time Merchant interviewed him he was still panting his head off. Vitali wanted more!

No no no... There is no denying that Lennox retired because he did not relish the thought of another gruelling battle with such a formidable opponent who's entire goal in life was to beat him.

A lot of bias on this thread!

[awdleyfuturehalloffamer]

If not for the cut, Lewis would have lost.

[Max Power]

As far as I'm concerned when Lewis retired, his straps and the lineal title should have passed to Vitali after he beat his next top ranked opponent which would have been Corrie Sanders!!

To the fair observer this is in fact how the linear championship really went and after Vitali retired it was fairly contested between Wladimir and Samuel Peter and has been with Wladimir since.

[Master]

Lewis is the best opponent vitali has ever faced.

Lewis beat vitali so bad it had to be stopped.

That version of lewis could have done the rematch and came back and probably ko vitali even quicker.

No one will ever know.

Vitali has that oliver mccall, danny glover, liam neeson type structure that is very hard to break.

*lol... the fight was stopped...Vitali didn't get KO'ed. if anyone was wobbled,it was Lennox..more than once. the cuts on Vitali's eye were very close to being thumbs... not only that, Lennox got away with holding behind the head and holding and hitting. Vitali was winning the fight by 2 points... and Lennox looked out on his feet. when it was stopped,Vitali is pleading with the ref not to stop it... the only one that got lucky that night it Lennox... then he promptly retired before they made him give a rematch.

So Lennox would have to wait 6 months until Vialtali cut healed and then fight him? He had unified the division and fought Tyson. He had achieved everything he wanted. There was always going to be another young lion challenging. He retired at the right time.

The toughest fighter Lewis fought was probably Holyfield in their second fight.