Man, i wish lennox had stayed around a year longer.

And LMAO @ you comparing Lewis to Ali. Blasphemy! You are right. Past-it Lennox actually beat the champ of the next era while Ali failed miserably. It was wrong of me to compare the two fighters.

Lewis was 37 and weighed his career heaviest against Vitali. The hunger and motivation just wasn't there anymore. I would bet he barely trained for the fight if at all. I would bet anything that the Lewis of a few years earlier that beat Holyfield would destroy any version of Vitali. He had the reach, skill and power to always give Vitali trouble.

Look up the interview Vitali did with on the ropes.. Vitali says the 2 weeks notice was better because "Lennox dont prepare for me, I dont prepare for him we just fight" What Vitali forgot to mention is that hed been studying Lewis for two years, since Ocean's 11. Its natural for the challenger to always keep the champ in his sights, but Lewis was more focused on Tyson during that time. Lewis retired because he was old and had beaten everyone he ever faced.Vitali trying to take credit is as pathetic as Trevor Berbick taking credit for Ali's retirement. Nah. He stalled his decision because he had trouble finding out if his love of money was enough to warrant another beating. Lewis knew that he had had a long rigorous camp before Vitali and he knew that Vitali was only prepared for an undercard fight. So in the end Lewis decided that he'd rather retire than take a whooping. I dont blame him for retiring. He earned it. The problem was the time it took to come to the decision. And LMAO @ you comparing Lewis to Ali. Blasphemy!

If it was not the punching by Vitali that retired Lewis, what do you then think it was? Maybe you think that Lewis was intimidated by the giant ukrainian? Or maybe Lewis wondered how Vitali would manhandle him if he had had more than a week to prepare for a championship fight? Look up the interview Vitali did with on the ropes.. Vitali says the 2 weeks notice was better because "Lennox dont prepare for me, I dont prepare for him we just fight" What Vitali forgot to mention is that hed been studying Lewis for two years, since Ocean's 11. Its natural for the challenger to always keep the champ in his sights, but Lewis was more focused on Tyson during that time. Lewis retired because he was old and had beaten everyone he ever faced.Vitali trying to take credit is as pathetic as Trevor Berbick taking credit for Ali's retirement.

Vitali was too featherfisted to punch anyone into retirement. Mccall and Rahman had that kind of power, but not Vitali. . If it was not the punching by Vitali that retired Lewis, what do you then think it was? Maybe you think that Lewis was intimidated by the giant ukrainian? Or maybe Lewis wondered how Vitali would manhandle him if he had had more than a week to prepare for a championship fight?

I dont understand what you are saying there. Didnt Vitali punch Lewis into retirement thereby making it impossible to make a rematch let alone a Wlad fight?????????? Vitali was too featherfisted to punch anyone into retirement. Mccall and Rahman had that kind of power, but not Vitali. At Lennox's age he didnt see the point of rematching a guy he already beat. He probably could spark Vitali a second time even at 38, but I dont think he wanted to go through all the training and preparation it would require to get the job done.

I dont understand what you are saying there. Didnt Vitali punch Lewis into retirement thereby making it impossible to make a rematch let alone a Wlad fight?????????? Allow me to translate Joeyzagz post for the non-British speaking people out there. "Klitschko's suxxors, lennox lewis is black jesus of boxing, vitali got his eye ripped out by a skilled and perfect punch and had no chance against even a fat lennox lewis, who subsequently retired after realizing there was no competition left for him to beat. Haye Rules! I love tea and biscuits. I have never been to a dentist." that about sums it up.

Of course K2 is not stupid and would never put Wlad in with even a faded Lennox after what he did to the stronger Klitschko. I dont understand what you are saying there. Didnt Vitali punch Lewis into retirement thereby making it impossible to make a rematch let alone a Wlad fight??????????

Well Wlad did call out Lennox in March of 2001, but perhaps Lewis would've finally faced him after the loss to Sanders. Highly doubtful he'd have beaten both brothers at that stage of his career though. Wlad and Lennox wanted to fight each other and Oceans 11 was supposed to coincide with the actual bout. Rahman got in the way of those plans in 2001. http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/7480/lenwlad.gif If you remember Lennox DID call out Wlad after the Vitali fight. "Bring on his brother" Of course K2 is not stupid and would never put Wlad in with even a faded Lennox after what he did to the stronger Klitschko.

It would had been very interesting to see how Lewis would had done against bot K bros. He was the only one with the tools to really keep the fights competitive. Lewis had experience, excellent jab, powerful right hand and solid skills. His chin was always suspect

Plus Lewis is one of the few retired champs you see that isn't slurring his words. Despite the two knockout losses, he never really took any extended beatings in the ring. That could've changed had he stuck around another year or two.

I think in his heart he knew that a rematch with Vitali was at best a 50-50 fight in which he would take a hell of a beating win/lose. At his age he just didn't fancy that, he'd earned his money and just didn't have the hunger any more. Obviously a tough decision for him cause it kinda looked like he was running from the fight but it was probably the right call - you gotta know when to quit or you'll end up like Ali/Louis - an old man getting pummeled by a younger hungrier foe .

He retired at the right time, while he was on top which is a difficult decision but the right one. He passed on the torch to the Klitschko's. It was the right time to retire. Definetely... What p!sses me off though, is the way he kept promising Vitali and the boxing world a rematch without delivering. That sucked.

Well Wlad did call out Lennox in March of 2001, but perhaps Lewis would've finally faced him after the loss to Sanders. Highly doubtful he'd have beaten both brothers at that stage of his career though.

He retired at the right time, while he was on top which is a difficult decision but the right one. He passed on the torch to the Klitschko's.

After the Vitali fight, he kept on dragging his decision to retire. He wanted the money for a rematch but I guess he could all the time see the beating he would have to endure to get them just wasnt worth it.

and got knocked out in a rematch...sorry none for me thanks...