Was Lennox Lewis set up to lose against Vitali Klitschko?

[Willie Pep 229]

An undisclosed sum and the promise of a title shot for Vitali's belt. Every body knew Vitali was going to win the title at some point.

Lewis actually asked Vitali about if they paid off Johnson on stage recently when they met again at some kind of event anniversary of their LA fight. Vitali's reaction was interesting. No doublt Vitali paid Kirk to step aside, Lennox knew it. I saw the video on twitter.

Vitali said at the time in 2003 that he had to take Lennox to court 3 or 4 times to get the fight. Lennox was clearly dodging Vitali. And any promise to fight him in November could not be trusted. Lennox dropped the IBF belt to King and Byrd before that. Lewis knew Vitali was a nightmare to fight at 38 and he wanted no part of the rematch though he did promise it to Vitali's face. Vitali kept saying Lennox is a gentleman and he believed Lennox would keep his rematch promise. Of course Lewis failed to keep his word.

Johnson walked away from 1.2 million dollars for an "undisclosed sum and a promise" for a shot at a title, from a guy who hadn't yet won it.

He gave away 1.2 on a handshake?

Why trade away a title shot for a title shot?

Especially if you think the second guy is the better fighter?

OK so lets say he did that . . . why does Johnson take an 'elimination fight' with Vitali, (lose it, and never get a title shot,) when he has a 'handshake' deal for a title shot pending. Wasn't he suppose to wait for Vitali to win the title? Wasn't that the deal?

[QueensburyRules]

Lewis did not officially retire until after Vitali beat Johnson. He was waiting and hoping Vitali lost.

- -Lewie officially retired days before the WBC were going to strip him as champion, hence the Vitali title fights vs Johnson and Sanders...Duh!

Best stick to tiddlywinks.

[Monzon99]

- -Lewie officially retired days before the WBC were going to strip him as champion, hence the Vitali title fights vs Johnson and Sanders...Duh!

Best stick to tiddlywinks.

Allow me to correct you.

Because Klitschko had fought so bravely against Lewis, boxing fans soon began calling for a rematch. The WBC agreed, and kept the Ukrainian as its No. 1 contender. Lewis initially was in favour of a rematch:

"I want the rematch, I enjoyed that fight. It was just a fight. We went at it. You have to play dollars and cents but I'm opting more for the rematch."[48]

Negotiations for the rematch followed but Lewis changed his mind.[49] Instead, Klitschko fought and defeated Kirk Johnson on 6 December in WBC Eliminator, setting up a mandatory rematch with Lewis. Lewis announced his retirement shortly thereafter in February 2004, to pursue other interests, including sports management and music promotion, and vacated the title. Lewis said he would not return to the ring. At his retirement, Lewis's record was 41 wins, two losses and one draw, with 32 wins by knockout.

[billeau2]

Total misread. Lennox knew Vitali was a beat and was taken to court 3 or 4 times by Vitali and Peter Kohl. Lennox was dodging Vitali who was his mandatory. He handpicked Kirk Johnson because he was easier though Vitali brought in more $ with German TV. Lennox knew damn well Vitali was going to be his toughest career fight and it was. Though Lennox says Holyfield was his toughest fight it's BS.

Lewis never ducked anyone. And then he's just going to duck vitali? That makes no sense. One has to look deeper at the personality of Lewis. Much more likely? He thought the klits were arrogent ssholes and didn't want to give them an opportunity to fight him. That big brother little brother act gets old.

[billeau2]

Funny but I was just reading yet another old KO magazine.

Nigel Collins says it will take eight rounds and the acrimony will fade and respect will replace it.

I guess according to Nigel they were two rounds short of making peace.

P.S. He was speaking of a different fight, where the insolent principals embraced at the end, but I can't remember what fight.

Something like that... He's got the right idea heck he may even be right about that amount of time. Lewis hated vitaly. And when things went down the way they did at the end of that fight, Lewis had had enough.

[Tatabanya]

To answer the original question, I don't know if Lewis was set up to lose against Klitschko.

But I do remember HBO and a good portion of fans getting ready to crown a stiff such as Michael Grant as the new HW king, before Lewis massacred their guy.

Perhaps HBO had not forgiven Lennox for that...

[Willie Pep 229]

One article has Lewis claiming he didn't have much concern about the last minute switch and that he planned taking Ksitchok (the WBC mandatory) in November anyway.

"I realise if the promotion had been cancelled I would not have been fighting again until November. I figured I might as well fight him now." -- Lewis

Lewis didn't seemed nonplussed about the switch.

The Guardian

Now on the other hand a different question in the same vein: Was Louis set-up to lose to Walcott (1)?

I believe he was and that is why the judges refused to give the title to Jersey Joe, by decision, that night. They did the right thing.

[QueensburyRules]

- -Poor logic ain't cuttin' it...

[BKM-]

Total misread. Lennox knew Vitali was a beat and was taken to court 3 or 4 times by Vitali and Peter Kohl. Lennox was dodging Vitali who was his mandatory. He handpicked Kirk Johnson because he was easier though Vitali brought in more $ with German TV. Lennox knew damn well Vitali was going to be his toughest career fight and it was. Though Lennox says Holyfield was his toughest fight it's BS.

If that were the case Lewis 1-would not have taken that fight at all and 2-He would not have taken it and shown up not in form like he was and on short notice, making it even more risky.

I was watching the sport at the time, people were not clamoring for this fight. The facts are that Lewis could have easily avoided Vitali at that point. He didn't.

And that Lewis was not in shape. he was overweight and ran out of gas too quick. That contradicts your claim that he knew Vitali would be his toughest fight because he would have prepared his arse off otherwise. It makes no sense at all.

No. All reasonable theories lead to Lewis underestimating Vitali.

[Monzon99]

Vitali cornered Lennox. If he ducked Vitali two weeks before then he looks like a coward. Lewis was cornered and was forced to fight Vitali. Remember, the Tyson fight was a year earlier. Lewis sat out for a whole year at 37-38. He could not afford to waste any more time. Vitali was smart and tricked Lennox into the fight by buying off Kirk to step aside.

Lewi