Lennox Lewis was going to retire after Tyson

[Someone88]

The level of guys Vitali has been dominating against isn't near the level of the guys Lewis dominated and beat.

They're not around the same level.

Other than Holyfield who has Lewis fought that was near the level of Vitali?

[DreamFighter]

[QUOTE=Someone88;12920988]My point was that other than Holyfield he doesn't have many great wins, he was impressive in victory though.

Vitali's eye wasn't hanging out, he still could have won. I'm not saying he would have just saying he could have.

so you wanted hto wait till his eye was out on a stalk before you'd stop the match?

Even Vitali WOULD disagree with you, since he'd have no boxing licence and no career after that. Lewis would have ended his career.

[Someone88]

oh this debateis so dumb, Vitali was 33 wasnt he? Exactly how much longer does a boxer require to reach his prime?

If you arent prime by 33 then you arent much good to begin with, and you arent going to get better. Even the latest bloomers like Bernard Hopkins had peaked around that age.


Like I said, he had every advantage but he failed on the big stage, as he has always done.

Vitali was 31 and fighters do improve just not that much around that age.

[DreamFighter]

Other than Holyfield who has Lewis fought that was near the level of Vitali?

clealy he wrtoe level of opponents not level of Vitali.

But now you mention it Vitali is not one of Lewis best opponents.

[DreamFighter]

Vitali was 31 and fighters do improve just not that much around that age.

he was prime, thats all there is to it.

[P4P_No1]

Other than Holyfield who has Lewis fought that was near the level of Vitali?

What makes you think Vitali is on Lewis level? That was the question bro. Who has Vitali beat that makes you think he's on Lewis' level?

Put it this way (and I hate doing it like this but)

Lewis TKO Shannon Briggs in 5 back in, what '98?

Yet he goes the full distance with Vitali a few years back? (Supposedly when Vitali is in his prime eh?)

[DreamFighter]

No it's not that simple. Fighting isn't maths, you should know that. Vitali wasn't that experienced when they fought. If Lewis was more dominant then your argument would be stronger, but he wasn't dominant.

no - vitali had been a WBO champ. granted the WBO title at that time was a kind of IBO minor title that noone wanted, and that he had lost it pretty soon after fighting his first decent opponent, and that he then ran away from boxing scared ****less, he still had reached a peak in his career. He never got any higher than being a single title champ.

Since then Vitali has been dominating,

so was Vitali dominant or was it that he merely 'had been' dominating now?

Make it clear what you mean. The former means he really won, the second that he had a good start but got wasted later in the fight (which is what happens when your eye gets torn to peices for a tko).

[Someone88]

clealy he wrtoe level of opponents not level of Vitali.

But now you mention it Vitali is not one of Lewis best opponents.

I meant other than Vitali who was his level and that's Holyfield. I should have explained further.

he was prime, thats all there is to it.

Well I said Vitali was closer to his prime than Lewis. If Lewis won every round up to the point that the fight was stopped, we wouldn't be discussing this.

Vitali was ahead at the point of the stoppage and if they fought again it may have been different.

[Someone88]

What makes you think Vitali is on Lewis level? That was the question bro. Who has Vitali beat that makes you think he's on Lewis' level?

Put it this way (and I hate doing it like this but)

Lewis TKO Shannon Briggs in 5 back in, what '98?

Yet he goes the full distance with Vitali a few years back? (Supposedly when Vitali is in his prime eh?)

I don't know if Vitali was in his prime against Briggs, I didn't say that. I doubt Vitali would have lost to McCall or Rahman. So if we wanna compare their fights I can do that.

Vitali after his return hadn't lost a round or many rounds until he fought Chisora, even if the opponents aren't that good it shows how dominant he is.

What I'm doing is comparing them at their best and I think at their best they around the same level.

[DreamFighter]

I meant other than Vitali who was his level and that's Holyfield. I should have explained further.



Well I said Vitali was closer to his prime than Lewis. If Lewis won every round up to the point that the fight was stopped, we wouldn't be discussing this.

Vitali was ahead at the point of the stoppage and if they fought again it may have been different.

Given that Vitali had every edge but failed, I doubt it would be different. But if you cant beat a 38 year old next to retirement guy when you are prime then you clearly arent worth handing the torch to.

Wlad is the closest thing it comes to a succesor to Lewis, but hes not half the man Lennox was.