I wonder if the irony that Lennox Lewis retired after promising Vitali a rematch is lost on Vitali.

It's not quite the same (Vitali gave Lewis a hell of a fight), but I'd hope that after not letting it go all this time over Lewis, Vitali will now realise that you can say you'll fight this guy and that guy but sooner or later there comes a time when every fighter gets old and the smart thing (and probably hardest) is to say it's a day.

For years Lewis had people saying he was scared to rematch Vitali and was a quitter. I doubt the 'Vitali ducked Haye' jibes will last as long... I just hope they give Vitali an understanding that it wasn't easy for Lewis to call time when he did either.