Best post fight interviews (quotes)

[Hop]

That's because he wasn't beaten as the cards don't matter when you stop the guy. If they did, then Lewis wouldn't have won and neither would about a million other fighters over the years.

Cards are only important when the fight actually goes the distance mate. It's a tricky one to remember I know.

Sorry if I've touched a nerve, mate. The point was clear, I think, and you've only repeated what nobody doesn't know.

But to take your comments seriously, I don't fully agree that "cards are only important when the fight goes the distance". That's when they factor into deciding the winner, yes. But they do carry some significance regardless in terms of assessing how a fight unfolded -- which I was making reference to earlier. LL didn't want to admit the truth that Vitali was giving him (a heavy favorite, btw) all he could handle and then some. His post-fight bravado came off as hollow and silly, and Merchant - plus scads of others - saw right through it and called him on it. No wonder Lewis called it quits after that fight!

[Tommo1]

At the end of the day had Vitali not been cut, the fight was lost for Lewis! If Vitali was deteriorating at all like he told Merchant (which is a bit of hot air, Lewis looked ****ed too), it was only due to the increasing debilitating effects he may have suffered from the cut.

Some ppl think it was the force of Lewis punches that stopped him, BS, there were a few dodgey instances like a side glove, a thumb and even a little head clash. Which were noted in commentary, even replayed.

Another one I've heard is that Vitali has weak skin LOL come off it. Although he definitely should have caked up the Vaseline for that fight as American fighters do. Slavic boxers don't do that for some reason!

All in all Lewis was dead lucky and Vitali dead unlucky! Hence why Merchant schooled him, hence why Lewis retired. Promised rematch, seen Vitali flog out Kirk Johnson and thought to himself, screw that!

What I DO believe though in Lewis's defence is that that was the fat, old Lewis who hadn't fought in over a year and only had 2 weeks to prepare. Had that been a prime, in shape Lewis on top of his game with proper preparation... Lewis would have probably dealt Vitali the KO loss that has always evaded him!

[IronDanHamza]

Who could forget Marlon Starling-Tomas Molinares.

[LacedUp]

"I told ya! I told ya I was the greatest of all times. All of your bow!"

[violaandme]

HBO needs to fire you you don't know **** about boxing
I wish I was 50 years younger I'd kick your a$$

[violaandme]

the smile on Victor Ortiz face when Larry Merchant turns to him was priceless

[violaandme]

I don't care what anyone says about Larry Merchant and his style of questions there is no better time to ask those questions for a real response besides most fighters can play it off

one of my Favorite Merchant question was addressed to Vernon Forest when he won a controversial decision vs Ike Quartey Forest was thanking everyone close to him and Merchant asked "would you also like to thank the judges?"

[SBleeder]

I don't remember the exact quote, but after his fight with Sugar Ray Leonard, Bruce Finch adamantly protested the stoppage, claiming that he was just fine and that the fight shouldn't have been stopped just because he had been knocked down once.

(Finch had actually been down three times.)

[Anthony342]

I think it was after the Hearns fight when Hagler asked Merchant if he could finally be considered a great fighter, liked that one. The aren't you embarrassed question Hopkins was asked after the Hakkar title defense was a good one too.

[Tommo1]

Hahaha Viola, I have to agree completely. A lot of ppl hate Larry Merchant but for me he makes the sport into great entertainment.

The main thing I hate about boxing today (HW particularly) is that there's no more comedy American commentary of which Larry was the best indeed.