If Lennox Lewis had rematched Vitali Klitschko.........

[p4pking]

It would all depend on whether Lennox was actually capable of getting himself into better shape for a rematch. No doubt he was a better fighter than either Klitschko in my mind, at his best he would have smoked either.

[bigstinkybug]

no doubt Lennox is a better fighter? cuz his style is more conventional? Vitali has never been behind in a fight...EVER.
*his two losses should've prob been no contest.
*his KO ratio is one of the highest in boxing history.
*he's still fighting and dominating and looks like he could fight till 50 if he wanted too.

How can an argument be made that Lennox is a better fighter, ?

[Max Power]

I'm sorry but I have to back my man stinkybug up on this. Lewis did in fact look great in that fight. He did not even LOOK too bad FOR tht fight. He came in only 5lbs heavier- FIVE than his usual weight and had been training for another tough opponent (Johnson) before taking the Vitali fight for which Vits only had 2 weeks to prepare as well! He fought better than he had on many occasions except he met very stiff resistance.

I also agree the cuts were caused by a lot of thumbing, side gloving, an elbow etc and certainly not from the force of Lewis's punches, all of which is common knowledge. I mean come on look at the gashes and get real! Those are tear wounds not blunt trauma injuries. A punch that hard would knock anybody out.

I really think Lennox and Vitali are more or less on equal footing prime for prime. I like Lewis and he looks smoother than the more robotic Vitali but Vitali moves with a surgical precision and is always more alert than show pony Lewis. Lewis definitely hits harder though and shows more variety

Lewis and V.Klitschko are both such tremendous giant technicians, boxer-punchers and dominant champions that neither of these guys deserved to be bashed in favour of the other. And both provoded us with some great battles and gun fights to maul over.

[Max Power]

The argument for Lewis is that he beat the other candidates for GOAT HW of his generation in Holyfield and Tyson, was ducked by Riddick Bowe who he beat in Olympics anyway and defeated every other boxer he ever faced in arguably the strongest era in HW history.

[El Kabong]

For everyone that wants to pull the Lennox Lewis "Look at the state of his face" defense I might remind you all that Quarry got a rematch with Ali when their first fight was stopped by cuts. If Ali was a good enough sport to do it why not Lennox?



....because Lennox knew his time was up. Yeah Lennox could have gotten better prepared but so could Vitali because he was set to fight Cedric Boswell. Yeah we all hear about how Lewis was supposed to fight Kirk Johnson which was a LAUGHABLE match to begin with but Vitali wasn't training to fight Lennox but he jumped in and gave Lennox a run for his money and Lennox is lucky as hell that cut happened because he was GASSED. Anyone who looks at the fight objectively knows that.

[bigstinkybug]

*if Lennox wants to retire, more power too him... but stop saying u would've done this or that cuz u had the chance and didn't do it. hey, he rematched everyone else that beat him..and the Vitali fight was surely one that needed a re-match. if it would be such an easy fight, then why not do it?
*Ive seen Lennox on an interview, a one on one thing..and man, he's such an arrogant dk.
*Lets be very clear... Lennox caught Vitali... but Vitali HURT Lennox more than once. I think it's the second round where Lennox held and would've gone down had he not held.
*Lennox style is prettier, but Vitali fights like an old style Russan..not pretty but effective.
*does Lennox hit harder? that's debateable. Vitali hit Lennox as hard as I've seen any heavyweight get hit... maybe Lennox didn't go down, but he never fought again.

[imp]

For everyone that wants to pull the Lennox Lewis "Look at the state of his face" defense I might remind you all that Quarry got a rematch with Ali when their first fight was stopped by cuts. If Ali was a good enough sport to do it why not Lennox?



....because Lennox knew his time was up. Yeah Lennox could have gotten better prepared but so could Vitali because he was set to fight Cedric Boswell. Yeah we all hear about how Lewis was supposed to fight Kirk Johnson which was a LAUGHABLE match to begin with but Vitali wasn't training to fight Lennox but he jumped in and gave Lennox a run for his money and Lennox is lucky as hell that cut happened because he was GASSED. Anyone who looks at the fight objectively knows that.

I dont know what you want to happen.

Its obvious vitali had lennox hurt in the fight and lewis had to dig deep but lets be clear that was the hardest fight vitali ever had.

Is it not fair to think that vitali at 8 years younger than lewis and with all lewis achievements it was the right move to call it a day.

I think its unfair to count out a much better, fitter version of lewis in a rematch to a version of vitali that would have fought exactly the same AND his greatest ever fight was against lewis.

I can clearly see that vitali was giving lewis some serious trouble and he was looking gassed but how many times in this great divison have you seen one shot change everything!

Lewis has never lost a decision and has never been beaten so badly the fight had to be stopped.

A heavyweight punch stopped lewis on two occasions in which he came back and rectified the situation in the rematch.

Why take a rematch with a guy 8 years younger than you that you already beat?

If vitali won, lewis would have rematched in a heartbeat but lewis done enough to achieve the result he wanted and i believe by the 5th round he probably decided in his mind that this was his last fight anyway with all the punishment they were both taking.

[Max Power]

I think Lennox Lewis's legacy is still in tact either way. He is still my #1!

[bigstinkybug]

[QUOTE=imp;1202461]

I dont know what you want to happen.

Its obvious vitali had lennox hurt in the fight and lewis had to dig deep but lets be clear that was the hardest fight vitali ever had.

Is it not fair to think that vitali at 8 years younger than lewis and with all lewis achievements it was the right move to call it a day.

I think its unfair to count out a much better, fitter version of lewis in a rematch to a version of vitali that would have fought exactly the same AND his greatest ever fight was against lewis.

I can clearly see that vitali was giving lewis some serious trouble and he was looking gassed but how many times in this great divison have you seen one shot change everything!

Lewis has never lost a decision and has never been beaten so badly the fight had to be stopped.

A heavyweight punch stopped lewis on two occasions in which he came back and rectified the situation in the rematch.

Why take a rematch with a guy 8 years younger than you that you already beat?

If vitali won, lewis would have rematched in a heartbeat but lewis done enough to achieve the result he wanted and i believe by the 5th round he probably decided in his mind that this was his last fight anyway with all the punishment they were both taking.

*But Lennox didn't BEAT Vitali, the fight was stopped on cuts... and Lennox was losing on points.

[brocktonblockbust]

For everyone that wants to pull the Lennox Lewis "Look at the state of his face" defense I might remind you all that Quarry got a rematch with Ali when their first fight was stopped by cuts. If Ali was a good enough sport to do it why not Lennox?



....because Lennox knew his time was up. Yeah Lennox could have gotten better prepared but so could Vitali because he was set to fight Cedric Boswell. Yeah we all hear about how Lewis was supposed to fight Kirk Johnson which was a LAUGHABLE match to begin with but Vitali wasn't training to fight Lennox but he jumped in and gave Lennox a run for his money and Lennox is lucky as hell that cut happened because he was GASSED. Anyone who looks at the fight objectively knows that.

uhhh, gee.........could it be that Ali was 30 years old and still relatively young?

[OMGWTF]

Vitali would have won, no way can Lennox keep up with Vitalis work rate, he dosnt have the same cardio level, and whats worse for Lennox is his power is nulified by Vitalis iron jaw, so he has barely any chance at all and was lucky to get that cut.

Also any skill Lennox had over Vitali (both skillful not sure who has teh advantage tehre) again is a mute point because hes gonna get out enduranced.

Also Lennox has to work extra hard because he didnt have the range advantage he is used to.

Vitali was very VERY unlucky to loose that.

Lennox and all the boxing experts know Vitali is the better man.