Your thoughts on Lennox Lewis-Vitali Klitschko?

[johnmaff36]

primitive crap.

OK so you don't when heavyweights box and use the sweet science and then you don't like it when they go toe to toe.....you are a boxing fan correct

Klitschko-Lewis was a great fight, it was an even match and both fighters came out of the gates trying to end it as fast as possible...what's not to like about it

Shame about that cut though, and that there was no rematch, but then again we all know why that was

You say that we all know why there wasnt a rematch. Would i be correct in thinking that your inferring that lewis wanted no part of it. Well i dont know myself but my guess would be that Lewis,18mths off 40yrs of age, had did everything asked of him. fought and beat every no1 contender, left his closest rival with 60 stitches inside and out side of his face, and,realising his skills were on the wane, wisely decided to call it a day having absolutely nothing left to prove to anyone. Am i close?

[El Kabong]

...or one could say because Lewis got rocked more often in that fight than had been the case with his most recent fights and that he hit Vitali with the kitchen sink and he was still there, even after having his face split open, Vitali was still there. I think Lennox realized that he had met someone who was bigger, younger, and just as talented as him and then he knew "I got lucky, now I'm going to get out of here while I am still champion"

I don't blame Lennox for retiring, everyone knows both fighters weren't prepared to fight each other, Lennox was supposed to fight Kirk Johnson (which the Lewis supporters think was a huge deal) and Vitali was scheduled to fight Cedric Boswell (which the Lewis supporters tend to overlook). If they were given time to prepare for one another I think given Vitali's relative youth and his brain (the guy is a smart fighter) he would be able to form a fight plan which Lennox Lewis would have a very difficult time dealing with. If Lennox Lewis was given time sure he could try and plan for Vitali but only one person fights the way he does so it's not like sparring would be a great help. Lennox would also be getting older in this time period, and he may have figured he was far easier to "get to" than was the case earilier in his career, although guys like Shannon Briggs had limited success vs Lewis, he was always able to recover and dominate, vs Vitali there was no slowing him down, Lennox hit him with everything and VK was still there.

So yes it's probably a mixture of the two

[porkypara]

Just rewatched the fight again to refresh my memory.


A few point I noticed,as far as I can see Lewis would have most likely won had the fight gone on.He was throwing the better shots over the last few rounds of the fight.At the end both fighters seemed exhasted.

Also the HBO commontators seem very pro Klitchko and as for George Foreman,he just talked bollocks throught the whole fight.Contradicted him self all the time.

[The Fightfan]

You can make a case for both fighters IMO. It seems those who liked Lennox gave him the fight and those who like Vitali had him winning the rounds. Lennox did do everything he could to get rid of Vitali especially that huge right uppercut in I believe it was the fifth and Vitali walked through it. Lennox did start to gain ground in the ending rounds but I do remember Vitali landing his right hand at will when he threw it. The best evenly matched fight I've seen in a long time and probably never again in the heavyweight division.

[porkypara]

You can make a case for both fighters IMO. It seems those who liked Lennox gave him the fight and those who like Vitali had him winning the rounds. Lennox did do everything he could to get rid of Vitali especially that huge right uppercut in I believe it was the fifth and Vitali walked through it. Lennox did start to gain ground in the ending rounds but I do remember Vitali landing his right hand at will when he through it. The best evenly matched fight I've seen in a long time and probably never again in the heavyweight division.

That uppercut was a great punch.

How did Klitchko stay on his feet

It seemed as if both fighters just decided not to bother with defence and just load up with big singel shots.

Not the most skillfull fight you will watch but very entertaining.

[ElTerribleMorales]

the last GREAT heavyweight fight, i had Lewis slightly ahead but he seemed to be slowing down, and i feel at least on that night, if it weren't for the cut, Klitschko would have out lasted him

[The Fightfan]

Just think Vitali was a back-up figter for Lennox on that night. What would have happenend if Kirk Johnson did stand in? I liked Kirk Johnson he was a very good counter-puncher but he continuosly come into fight's in poor shape and it really took a toll on him when Vitali fought him.

[ICB]

the last GREAT heavyweight fight, i had Lewis slightly ahead but he seemed to be slowing down, and i feel at least on that night, if it weren't for the cut, Klitschko would have out lasted him

Lamon Brewster vs Sergey Lyakhovich was a better fight IMO.

[luvfightgame]

primitive crap.

OK so you don't when heavyweights box and use the sweet science and then you don't like it when they go toe to toe.....you are a boxing fan correct

Klitschko-Lewis was a great fight, it was an even match and both fighters came out of the gates trying to end it as fast as possible...what's not to like about it

Shame about that cut though, and that there was no rematch, but then again we all know why that was

You say that we all know why there wasnt a rematch. Would i be correct in thinking that your inferring that lewis wanted no part of it. Well i dont know myself but my guess would be that Lewis,18mths off 40yrs of age, had did everything asked of him. fought and beat every no1 contender, left his closest rival with 60 stitches inside and out side of his face, and,realising his skills were on the wane, wisely decided to call it a day having absolutely nothing left to prove to anyone. Am i close?

The cut was a fluke. Lucky for Lewis, unlucky for VK. It was caused by the thumb of Lewis catching the corner of VK's eye. Really had nothing to do with skill or "leaving his closest rival with 60 stitches".

Bottom line is there should have been a rematch. It was very close, very exciting, and finished on a fluke, not a decisive win. All the ingredients for an immediate rematch. And leaving everyone feeling like he had one more thing to prove.

[johnmaff36]

OK so you don't when heavyweights box and use the sweet science and then you don't like it when they go toe to toe.....you are a boxing fan correct

Klitschko-Lewis was a great fight, it was an even match and both fighters came out of the gates trying to end it as fast as possible...what's not to like about it

Shame about that cut though, and that there was no rematch, but then again we all know why that was

You say that we all know why there wasnt a rematch. Would i be correct in thinking that your inferring that lewis wanted no part of it. Well i dont know myself but my guess would be that Lewis,18mths off 40yrs of age, had did everything asked of him. fought and beat every no1 contender, left his closest rival with 60 stitches inside and out side of his face, and,realising his skills were on the wane, wisely decided to call it a day having absolutely nothing left to prove to anyone. Am i close?

The cut was a fluke. Lucky for Lewis, unlucky for VK. It was caused by the thumb of Lewis catching the corner of VK's eye. Really had nothing to do with skill or "leaving his closest rival with 60 stitches".

Bottom line is there should have been a rematch. It was very close, very exciting, and finished on a fluke, not a decisive win. All the ingredients for an immediate rematch. And leaving everyone feeling like he had one more thing to prove.

With respect, the fluke that you speak of must have been some thumb in the eye. He must have thumbed him in the wisdom tooth also because Vitali needed a load of stitches inside his mouth. I may be wrong here but i cant think of a fight that iv seen that a guy got 60stitches as a result of a 'flukey thumb in the eye'.

[El Kabong]

Sure Lennox opened up a couple other smaller cuts, but the main cut was due to Vitali leaning back (as he does) and Lennox's punch grazed Vitali's eyelid and that caused the main cut.

[GAME]

It wasnt a headbutt like Barrera - Khan . The fight was stopped because Vitalis face was falling to bits and it was from Lewis ' punches.

Lennox beat him once. He didnt need to do it again.

[johnmaff36]

Sure Lennox opened up a couple other smaller cuts, but the main cut was due to Vitali leaning back (as he does) and Lennox's punch grazed Vitali's eyelid and that caused the main cut.

If klitschko was as good a boxer as what some guys would have us believe then he wouldnt be leaning right back to begin with. That gets taught to you when your a kid. You also say that 'Sure lewis opened up a couple of other smaller cuts' as if it was of no significance and merely an afterthought. Also, whats the difference if lewis grazed him or caught him flush? He still cut him badly. Credit were credits due. He won fair and square. No point people (maybe not you personally)saying 'if this happened' or 'Vitali woulda KO'd him had it went another 2-3 rounds'. It didnt. The record books will show a Lewis victory regardless of its or buts

[littlebif]

Vitali fought his heart out that night Lewis was'nt in great shape that was his fault not Vitalis.Vitali hit Lewis with everything and lewis was still there while Vitali was cut up badly leaving the ref no choice but to stop it.

[El Kabong]

Sure Lennox opened up a couple other smaller cuts, but the main cut was due to Vitali leaning back (as he does) and Lennox's punch grazed Vitali's eyelid and that caused the main cut.

If klitschko was as good a boxer as what some guys would have us believe then he wouldnt be leaning right back to begin with. That gets taught to you when your a kid. You also say that 'Sure lewis opened up a couple of other smaller cuts' as if it was of no significance and merely an afterthought. Also, whats the difference if lewis grazed him or caught him flush? He still cut him badly. Credit were credits due. He won fair and square. No point people (maybe not you personally)saying 'if this happened' or 'Vitali woulda KO'd him had it went another 2-3 rounds'. It didnt. The record books will show a Lewis victory regardless of its or buts

....not everyone is 6'7, his style has worked for him he's lead on the scorecards (not that he's needed them) in every single fight he has been in, I don't know what you would call it but I call it success.

I reference the Ali-Quarry fight, Ali cut Quarry and the fight got stopped HOWEVER Ali gave Quarry the rematch anyway.....Lennox didn't do that, why? Well because he knew what was waiting for him. Lennox was getting older, Vitali would be just as prepared for him had they set up a rematch, Vitali had the style, chin, speed, stamina, and power to not just beat Lennox but beat him up and if they both had extra time to prepare then Lennox would have been humiliated because there was no way he could have handled it at his advanced age

You idiots think just because Vitali got cut (for the most part by accident) that he got his ass handed to him, that's fucking ridiculous. I don't make it out like Vitali won, but #1 He was up on ALL scorecards #2 Lennox Lewis was the ONLY person happy that fight got stopped "look at the state of his face, look at the state of his face!"....Lennox's face wasn't messed up but he knew damn well he was a lucky S.O.B which is why there was no rematch and Lennox has stayed retired, it's easy to stay retired when you know there is a dude waiting to kick your ass as soon as you set foot in the ring again.

Yes Vitali got cut by Lewis, the cut over the eyelid was the one that stopped the fight and that cut was a FLUKE, and if you can't accept that then fine, but Lennox Lewis was one lucky bastard that night.