just rewatched Lewis-Klitschko.

[Don Corleone]

Retiring when you feel that you don't have nothing left to prove isn't being a coward, its playing it smart. Lewis felt that he did what he wanted to do in the ring. It was a good move by Lewis, and as for the people who say Lewis promised Vitali a rematch, it isn't true. Maybe because the guy who said it is a Vladamir Klistko fan, and couldn't accept the fact that Lewis beat his brother, it was Vitali who didn't keep his word, by coming out retirment.

[Mugwump]

I sometimes get a bit annoyed when fighters refuse to offer a re-match. Especially when it is clearly justified.

In normal circumstances I'd say Klitsch had every reason to be upset about Lewis's refusal. But these weren't normal circumstances. Lewis was clearly in two minds over whether he should have taken the fight in the first place. If he'd been serious he wouldn't have showed up in the shape he was in. It was the end of the road and Klitsch had no business getting upset about being refused a fight against someone who'd lost all motivation and was looking forward to a **well-deserved** retirement. In any case, what glory is there in beating someone who isn't giving his all?

It goes without saying that boxing is a very serious business - especially at heavyweight where guys are throwing around enormous amounts of lethal force. If you're not up for it you have no business being there. Lewis finally understood that (maybe four or five fights too late). Klitsch should too.

[Don Corleone]

I sometimes get a bit annoyed when fighters refuse to offer a re-match. Especially when it is clearly justified.

In normal circumstances I'd say Klitsch had every reason to be upset about Lewis's refusal. But these weren't normal circumstances. Lewis was clearly in two minds over whether he should have taken the fight in the first place. If he'd been serious he wouldn't have showed up in the shape he was in. It was the end of the road and Klitsch had no business getting upset about being refused a fight against someone who'd lost all motivation and was looking forward to a **well-deserved** retirement. In any case, what glory is there in beating someone who isn't giving his all?

It goes without saying that boxing is a very serious business - especially at heavyweight where guys are throwing around enormous amounts of lethal force. If you're not up for it you have no business being there. Lewis finally understood that (maybe four or five fights too late). Klitsch should too.

I noticed you put well deserved in caps, do you not think that he deserved to retire in that way?

[revs1227]

your 100% right ....i was thinkin the same thing ..lewis was bein an ass ...klitzcho woulda won the rematch

[Orion]

I am a huge Lewis fan but i lost alot of respect for him that night.

[x3_bazooka_x3]

But shouldnt Klitschko be commended for that effort?

He was commended for his effort, the fact is after Lewis retired somehow the boxing mainstreem forgot that Lewis did infact win that fight, somehow they put plenty of spin on the fight in which it ended up making the loser look like the winner, Yes Vitali put up a good fight, yes he wobbled lewis a few times, but at the end of the fight he also ate about 6 or 7 big upper cuts and Vitali was holding on to Lewis like they were dance partners, even though Lennox did look gassed as he walked to his corner and sort of fell on his stool, those shots that Vitali took from Lewis prior to the end of that round would have been a Huge factor had the fight continued.
Listen in most states, that fight would have been stopped right away that cut was just too big for the fight to even go on, However leading up to this fight Staples and the california commission had Lewis fighting Kirk Johnson instead, with Kirk out of the fight, they barley saved the card by Lewis agreeing to face Vitali, there was no way the commission was going to stop the fight that early with that cut.
Giving Vitali several rounds to get the job done he was given more opportunitys than he would have likely recieved else where so to sum it up, some how its the fault of Lewis for Vitali lossing on cuts which is with in the rules of the sport, I just dont get this topic, and what ****s me up the most about this, after the fight when Lewis announced his retirement suddenly Lewis was affraid of Klitschko? this is a sport of which if you stick around too long you end up like Bowe or worse, Lewis has fought and beat every top fighter of his era and fought and beat the best fighter of this era past his better days, give it up, Vitali had an opprotunity he just didnt have it in him to cash in, its not the fault of Lewis, nor is Lewis required to give the man credit either, but it seemed to me as if Lewis was under attack by HBO during that interview, becuase HBO for the longest has wanted their white HW Champion and Vitali looked to fit that bill, especially since his younger brother who was also hyped up by HBO, was recently knocked out by Corrie Sanders just weeks prior to Lewis Klitschko.
Bottom line is Lewis doesnt owe anybody **** everything the man has today he earned himself.

[Mugwump]

I noticed you put well deserved in caps, do you not think that he deserved to retire in that way?

There is no right way to retire, really. Looking back now perhaps Lewis thinks he could have gone out in a blaze of glory - Hollywood Style. I don't know.

Anyone who followed Lewis knows he - like many fighters - probably stuck around for a bit too long. He was incredibly fortunate that his talent and physical attributes meant he could beat people without being totally committed to the task. But you can't carry on forever.

Look, he had his health (unlike many heavyweights at the end of their careers), enough money in the bank to live like a king for the rest of his days and every goal he set for himself achieved. I suppose a "legit" defeat of Klitsch would have looked good on his resume - but would it be that great an achievement when you consider everything else he'd achieved? Clearly he didn't think so.

[x3_bazooka_x3]

I suppose a "legit" defeat of Klitsch would have looked good on his resume - but would it be that great an achievement when you consider everything else he'd achieved? Clearly he didn't think so.

He does have a legit win over Klitschko, look all fighters know the rules of the sport, especially when cuts are concerned, Vitali knew how bad that cut was when he happend, so why didnt Vitali do more? why didnt his corner tell him this cut is bad you need to get it done now? perhaps they did tell him but in the end its up to Vitali to win the fight, Lewis won the fight with in the rules of the sport.
point is this fight happend years and years ago already its time to let it go Vitali Lost Lewis won and retired, lets see what Happens when Vitali returns my guess is he is making a mistake having this long of a lay off especially being a HW.

[-Antonio-]

And i have to say if anybody thought that either guy was dominating the other, they have too much bias to judge a fight or even have there opinion taken seriously, at the time of the stoppage, Klitschko was ahead, perhaps by 2 points at the most, but despite the fact that Lewis was exhausted he was starting to get to Vitali, i just think alot get caught up in the with the underdog giving the favorite all he can handle and they feel cheated because the underdog couldnt finish the job due to an unlucky punch that caused a gash, sorry for the long post but i had to vent this. and props to Merchant for putting Lewis in his place when Lewis wasnt giving any credit to Klitshcko.

Agreed, 100%.

Lewis was exhausted, yet he dug down deep and fought like a true Champion. He was starting to land some serious blows late in the fight, and the cut wasnt going to last more than three more rounds. But could Lewis have after being so exhausted?

[Randall_Hopkirk]

Yeah there was a surprise effect that made us give more credit to Klit.

But, Len was done, finished, kaput. He stumbled to his corner and fell on the ropes. So awarding him the fight seemed unfair.

But both guys landed huge punches.


Len's ego took about two or three years to settle from that.


And Len never gave his opponents enough credit. Rahman flattened him with an excellent display. I don't want to hear this "Lewis wasn't focused" bull**** in the case of either Rahman ort Klit

Did you not see lewis give Rahman credit. "He caught me with a good shot, this is the HW business, you can end things with one punch and he did." Add to the fact that Lennox claimed he WAS in good shape in SA. It's his fans (me included) who claimed he was underprepared and out of focus (given he was on a LA film set just 72 hours before the fight), those claims seem justified.