What a shock: Lennox picks Rahman to beat Vitali. Didn't he also pick Sanders and Danny Williams (though he changed the Williams pick) This article below is from secondsout.com. Anyhow, you have to wonder if Vitali beat Rahman, will he look better than Lewis in that he beat him the 1st time?
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Retired World Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis believes the only man capable of defeating his old foe and replacement as the dominant heavyweight, Vitali Klitschko, is another former nemesis - Hasim Rahman.
Klitschko made a hugely impressive first defence of his title at the Mandalay Bay Event Center last night, hammering a beyond courageous but outclassed Danny Williams to a one-sided eighth round defeat. Hard to hit, tactically aware, heavy-handed, hard-chinned and deceptively fast, 'Dr Ironfist' looked a very powerful heavyweight champion indeed in spite of his awkward and somewhat clumsy style.
Lewis holds a win over the giant Ukrainian, a sixth round technical stoppage in June 2002 - in a fight Klitschko was clearly winning before Lewis hacked the flesh from around Klitschko's eyes and forced the intervention of the ringside doctor. And, of course, Lewis and Rahman knocked each other out with single right hands in a brace of fights in 2001.
Now Lewis wants to see his two toughest opponents fight each other.
"Rahman impresses me again," the Londoner told SecondsOut. "He's back in shape and an in-shape Hasim Rahman can take it to Vitali Klitschko. I was impressed with what he did (against Kali Meehan) last month and he deserves a shot at the WBC title. I think Rahman liked being champion (April 2001 to November 2001) and now is very hungry to take that title back now I am retired."
Lewis clearly doesn't think too much of "too small" reigning IBF champion Chris Byrd (who, like Lewis, holds an injury win over Klitschko) or WBA bore-athon John Ruiz.
"Man, when I see that Ruiz I want to throw the television set out of the window. It is just - ugh!"
Quite.
So in a depleted heavyweight division Lewis believes Klitschko v Rahman is the best fight out there.
"I think it'd be a very tough fight between them," the three time champ said. "You have to have a jab to beat Klitschko and Rahman has a good jab. He'll also get a lot closer to Vitali than Danny Williams did and put more pressure on him. Klitschko doesn't like pressure."
Although the Ukrainian seemed to handle everything Lewis was throwing at him...
"I would have knocked Klitschko out in the next round," Lewis said. "Maybe Rahman can get there and do what I would have done had the doctor let Klitschko come out for the seventh round."
"Lennox always was a very smart man," laughed 'the Rock' when informed of his old rival's appraisal. "Because he fought us both, Lennox knows that you have to jab this guy (Klitschko) to win and Lennox also knows I've got the best jab in the division.
"I'll know this Klitschko guy right out. I can't wait for this fight. Klitschko is supposed to have an early March date from HBO? Great. My wife'e birthday is March 5 and I won't even have to get her a present - I'll just give her my brand new WBC title."
Rahman, who went four fights without a win following his upset win over Lewis in April 2001, let's not fail to remember, is now the WBC No.1 contender and Klitschko is obligated to fight him by June 2005 at the latest.
why is it so shocking that lennox says rochman can beat vitali? he says everyone can. the reason he hopes for someone to beat vitali is because he knows that he was getting his ass whipped and if vitali gets beat then it makes vitali not look so great. there are too many question marks regarding the vitali-lewis fight and he thinks that if vitali gets beat then it will lessen the fact that he got schooled. sorry to say for him he is wrong. those questions will always be there. forever. his legacy will be plagued by it. therefore the debate will linger for etenity. too bad for him he didn't honor the rematch so that hte questions could be laid to rest. whichever way it would have gone. he was smart though....cause now if he comes back and loses to vitali he can say he was too old.
i'm a vitali klitschko fan, but i'm pretty sure that lennox lewis in his prime and ready to fight would have destroyed vitali k... lewis is a great boxer, even though he seems to also be a bit of an a-hole.
i've actually never seen rahman fight - should be an interesting match.
I still think that Golota has the best chance at dethroning Vitali. Not saying it would definitely happen but, a well prepared both mentally and physically Golota could give Vitali fits.
and would have gone on to win the fight since Lewis was dead tired
That's a dumb statement. Nobody can say what would have happened. Lewis looked finished, and so did Klitschko.
I think if Klitscko were to fight someone of near his size then there is a chance he`ll cut. The only reasonable heavyweight out there with power and that sought of size is Golota but i reakon Golota would crack again if he fought Klitscko. Untill an up and comer proves otherwise, i don`t think Klit will be beat. And as for Lewis picking Rahman? Its wishful thinking as he wants people to stop suggesting he fight Klitscko, i believe he will fight Klitscko this year but i bet he prefers not too. Pride will always be the first punch that knocks you out!
I've been askin for that fight to have another look at that shot, and maybe clip it and show it, but doesn't seem to be something available.
:p
i might be able to make a deal with you. i have it on tape.
I've been askin for that fight to have another look at that shot, and maybe clip it and show it, but doesn't seem to be something available.
Are you referring to the Lewis-Klitschko fight?? Surely it's available for download - noone has uploaded it? (I can't view the downloads)
If it isn't I can upload it if someone tells me how.
It is ashame Vitali got hit with that one punch that cut him badly.
Vitali cuts easy. He had that nasty cut above his left eye, a couple of cuts below his left eye and his lips were busted too. If he gets into a competitive fight with the other guy landing some decent shots he'll cut badly again. Thing is, he seems too good at the moment to let that happen.
Did you mean Big Truck? I hope not! He's my favorite fighter and would;nt want to see him get seriously hurt! :mad:
No big buck, cant remeber his real name.
He should stop running his mouth if he has no intention of coming back as he's giving the haters excuses to hate him even more.
Lennox was a amazing Champion and he was the Greatest Heavyweight of the modern era. When he busted up Vitali he proved himself to be top dog still. How many other fighters have done that to Vitali? The answer is simple......NONE :cool:[/QUOTE
Yeah, but he was also lucky against Vitali. If that fight goes one or two more rounds, they go to the scorecards, and Vitali wins. That is why if they let the fight go a round or two, we might have had a different champ. It is ashame Vitali got hit with that one punch that cut him badly.
He should stop running his mouth if he has no intention of coming back as he's giving the haters excuses to hate him even more.
Lennox was a amazing Champion and he was the Greatest Heavyweight of the modern era. When he busted up Vitali he proved himself to be top dog still. How many other fighters have done that to Vitali? The answer is simple......NONE :cool:
He would've had my respect much more (even though he didn't give a rematch that he agreed to) if he would just be more civilized after retiring and not run his mouth so much. I could then say, yeah, Lenox Lewis did have a great career as a boxer and he DID leave out on a good note, good job dude.
but wait.. then it wouldn't be Lenox Lewis.
The way Hasim looked at his last fight, I would say even money. Slight edge to Klit. I like to hear Lennox's opinion, he has felt both their power. If you think about it, When he was KO by Rahman, he was in really bad shape, when he fought Vitali, he was in bad shape too. The differece is, Rahman won his fight. Lewis did beat Vitali. Though he was losing the fight, he still won. That cut was horrible and the fight needed to be stopped for the safty of Vitali.
look who Rahman fought in his last fight though, a fucking sparring partner who was only their because Don King fucked him in the Brewster fight. Vitali by 5th round KO. Lewis would pick Mickey Mouse to beat Klitschko, he's just dying for him to lose. Fuck Lewis, if he wants to run his mouth, he should hop in the ring
I think that Lewis is trying to help VK by pissing him off before every fight with his comments. :D :D :D
Every time he sounds like this: I couldn't beat you, so my bigger brother will kick your ass. :D
This is what I hate about LL, he refuses to fight, but sits on the sidelines and runs his mouth like a bitch, and it's only because he didn't finish his carreer like he wanted to, he finished it with unanswered questions, questions that I guess he lacks the confidence in himself to answer. If he hates VK so much, why doesn't hecome back and defeat him?
LL would pick big buck to win over VK, its obius he ahts him for retiring him
Did you mean Big Truck? I hope not! He's my favorite fighter and would;nt want to see him get seriously hurt! :mad: