Was Lennox Lewis a coward for not rematching Klit?

[El Kabong]

He retired with a win over a great fighter, why not retire on a high?

It was a rip off of a win

[p4pking]

I think rip off is a bit harsh, the cuts were caused by punches, lucky or not. The timing of the stoppage made it very disappointing to watch, but the doctors aren't there to root a guy on or keep score just as the ref isn't, how the fight had gone didn't matter. You could take the biggest fight in the world, have one guy pitching a shutout going into the 12th round, then say he gets tagged a few times and split open. You still can't let him continue with this shit on his face.

[imp]

I think rip off is a bit harsh, the cuts were caused by punches, lucky or not. The timing of the stoppage made it very disappointing to watch, but the doctors aren't there to root a guy on or keep score just as the ref isn't, how the fight had gone didn't matter. You could take the biggest fight in the world, have one guy pitching a shutout going into the 12th round, then say he gets tagged a few times and split open. You still can't let him continue with this shit on his face.

Game
Set
Match

Lewis would have made millions in the rematch though..but he made a smart move and called it a day.

Vitali has dominated this era and hopefully he can dominate and change the bigger issues in his country..

[El Kabong]

Ali gave Quarry a rematch when Quarry got cut during the fight.....just saying.


Also the scorecards and fan response points to a different winner: Vitali

[ykdadamaja]

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

[El Kabong]

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.

[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.

[El Kabong]

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.

[Vendettos]

Ali gave Quarry a rematch when Quarry got cut during the fight.....just saying.


Also the scorecards and fan response points to a different winner: Vitali

Too bad the damage inflicted by Lewis negates the scorecards and the 95% of idiot fans scoring the fight. Because 95% of people who claim to be boxing fans don't know shit and their opinions are irrelevant. But Vitali was up.

You need to remember, Vitali could have won every round, but a few more punches to that eye and it could have been career threatening.

Good stoppage and fair win.

[chris6878]

wasnt lewis preparing to fight someone else, then on last minute it was the klit. If he had prepared himself for klit, he would have beat klit even worse.

Also why rematch, why end up with brain damage?

[El Kabong]

wasnt lewis preparing to fight someone else, then on last minute it was the klit. If he had prepared himself for klit, he would have beat klit even worse.

Also why rematch, why end up with brain damage?

Lennox was preparing to fight Kirk Johnson, Vitali was preparing to fight Cedric Boswell so to assume if Lennox had more time he'd have won more handily is stupid. What if Vitali had been specifically training for Lennox as well? Ever stop to think of that?


Why would Lewis have brain damage from a rematch especially if he was doing so well?

[chris6878]

wasnt lewis preparing to fight someone else, then on last minute it was the klit. If he had prepared himself for klit, he would have beat klit even worse.

Also why rematch, why end up with brain damage?

Lennox was preparing to fight Kirk Johnson, Vitali was preparing to fight Cedric Boswell so to assume if Lennox had more time he'd have won more handily is stupid. What if Vitali had been specifically training for Lennox as well? Ever stop to think of that?


Why would Lewis have brain damage from a rematch especially if he was doing so well?

we all know when lewis doesnt prepare or a take fight seriously he is a shell of himself.....ask rahman. With real prep, he mashes vitali even worse.

[Max Power]

No. Lennox Lewis was not a coward. He was smart. His chances of winning the rematch were very slim which he and Klitschko both knew very well and by retiring he got to go out on a high note not being suppplanted by the next generation and still to this day seeds significant doubt over Klitschko. I think it robbed Vitali of glory but I don't blame Lennox one bit, it was how it played out. Lennox faced multiple career problems outside his control (Bowe duck, Holy robbery etc) as well and ironically the end of Vitali's own career ushered in similar insults as well such as Vitali retired rather than "face" guys like Stiverne.

[Mr140]

Klitschko is Lewis best win it makes his resume that much better and no he is no coward. Lewis had some bad losses in his career but he did avenge them and did well except McCall fight that was a weird thing there if he was not so fucked up McCall would of cause him problems always. Holyfeild and Tyson were done by the time Lewis got to them so the Klistcho win pretty much makes his resume 10x better then if it was not there. Also no man that is in the top 10 atg Hw you could ever call a coward thats crazy.

[mrbig1]

Lennox had been Champion for years and has already made a ton of money. No reason to fight anymore. Lennox fought all comers for years. How does that make him a coward?