Can you people Believe.......... (Klit Lewis)

[BKM-]

Nobody with any brains is claiming the cut was caused by any foul, and against, nobody with any brains was calling Lewis a bum.

By the same token, what makes you think Lewis would've won by KO? He'd already caught Klitchko with some of the best punches he'd ever thrown, and didn't even put him on the canvas (something nobody else ever did either). Lewis was gassed, getting worse, and was probably headed for the canvas himself. Klitchko had already hurt him 2 or 3 times, and it would've been simply a matter of time before he caught Lewis again, something that's much easier to do with a gassed fighter.

In the last round when Lewis was catching him with those clean shots, Vitali was almost ready to go. Not only was he dazed by the punches, he was very tired, and most importantly his cut was affecting him too much. He couldn't even see out of that eye, and if you can't see a Lennox Lewis right hand coming with that eye, you're not gonna last much longer if you're human. No matter how good your chin is. Just watch every punch that lands clean on Klitschko, he is just hanging on to Lewis almost ready to go.

There's 30 seconds of rest in between rounds, and that was more than enough for Lewis to gain back his momentum against a guy that has a cut becoming worse every second. The next round Vitali would have been completely blind from that eye, and I can't see him surviving in that condition.

As for talent....no, Vitali isn't near Lewis' level, but Lewis was never even a fraction as tough as Klitchko, and I think that evened the fight out quite nicely.

I disagree there. Watch Lewis vs Ray Mercer. He was very tough in that fight. I'd pick that version of young Lewis to destroy Vitali Klitschko.

[Stickman]

In the last round when Lewis was catching him with those clean shots, Vitali was almost ready to go. Not only was he dazed by the punches, he was very tired, and most importantly his cut was affecting him too much. He couldn't even see out of that eye, and if you can't see a Lennox Lewis right hand coming with that eye, you're not gonna last much longer if you're human. No matter how good your chin is. Just watch every punch that lands clean on Klitschko, he is just hanging on to Lewis almost ready to go.

There's 30 seconds of rest in between rounds, and that was more than enough for Lewis to gain back his momentum against a guy that has a cut becoming worse every second. The next round Vitali would have been completely blind from that eye, and I can't see him surviving in that condition.



I disagree there. Watch Lewis vs Ray Mercer. He was very tough in that fight. I'd pick that version of young Lewis to destroy Vitali Klitschko.

You're obviously a Lewis fan (so am I), but I saw things much differently than you. I saw Lewis gassed by the 4th round, and while he did have a better last round than the previous, he was undoubtedly panicking, trying to get this guy (Klitchko) outta there before he became too fatigued. The cut, while bad, wasn't affecting his vision much, if at all. He could see well enough... the risk of permanent injury from the gash is the reason for the stoppage. Klitchko didn't seem as worn as Lewis, was in better shape to start with, and I think it would've been simply a matter of time before he was caught with another shot like he was in the second, and knocked out. I really don't think Klitchko would've gone anywhere, no matter what Lewis caught him with. Remember, the guy has never been down.

[DiegoFuego]

the stoppage was legit... i just have a tough time calling it a TKO when vitali was actually in charge of the fight...


even though.. it is in fact a TKO... its just hard to call it one...

So come from behind KO's don't count anymore? If you quit or get stopped on cuts, you lose. Maybe you're new to boxing, but I can assure you it's in the rulebook. Otherwise, why would anyone losing on points ever come out for round 12 if they can't score a KO or hope their opponent quits?

[BKM-]

You're obviously a Lewis fan (so am I), but I saw things much differently than you. I saw Lewis gassed by the 4th round, and while he did have a better last round than the previous, he was undoubtedly panicking, trying to get this guy (Klitchko) outta there before he became too fatigued. The cut, while bad, wasn't affecting his vision much, if at all. He could see well enough... the risk of permanent injury from the gash is the reason for the stoppage. Klitchko didn't seem as worn as Lewis, was in better shape to start with, and I think it would've been simply a matter of time before he was caught with another shot like he was in the second, and knocked out. I really don't think Klitchko would've gone anywhere, no matter what Lewis caught him with. Remember, the guy has never been down.

Well, I like him but not really a fan. You're right about lewis' stamina, but that doesn't change the fact that he probably still had enough left in him to finish Klitschko after the 6th round. People put too much stock into the sight of Lewis "collapsing" on his stool. 30 seconds is enough for an experienced proffesional fighter to get enough wind. I could understand what they meant if Lewis was frozen and gasping for wind with 2 minutes left in the final round, but Lewis was beating Vitali untill the very last second of the 6th round.

If the cut wasn't affecting his vision, then why was every lewis right hand landing, thus nearly knocking him out every time?(Just watch the end of the round when Klitschko is hanging on for dear life.) It would be a very big coincidence that Lewis was hitting the right cross homerun repeatedly just when Vitali's cut was at its worse.

Fighters have had a lot of trouble seeing even from minor cuts, and if I see one of the worst cuts ever I have no doubt that klitchko was blind on one eye.

Yes Klitschko was in better shape than Lewis, and did better for most of the fight, but what matters was happened at the END. If I beat you up for 9 rounds, and you knock me the hell out in the 10th, my domination earlier will mean nothing because that's not what mattered at the end.

Klitchko has never been down against fighters who were no near the fighter Lewis was. If anyone was gonna knock him down/out, it would sure as heck be lewis(The hardest, best puncher he had ever faced. ). Especially in the condition Vitali was in.

[T-97]

Well, I like him but not really a fan. You're right about lewis' stamina, but that doesn't change the fact that he probably still had enough left in him to finish Klitschko after the 6th round. People put too much stock into the sight of Lewis "collapsing" on his stool. 30 seconds is enough for an experienced proffesional fighter to get enough wind. I could understand what they meant if Lewis was frozen and gasping for wind with 2 minutes left in the final round, but Lewis was beating Vitali untill the very last second of the 6th round.

If the cut wasn't affecting his vision, then why was every lewis right hand landing, thus nearly knocking him out every time?(Just watch the end of the round when Klitschko is hanging on for dear life.) It would be a very big coincidence that Lewis was hitting the right cross homerun repeatedly just when Vitali's cut was at its worse.

Fighters have had a lot of trouble seeing even from minor cuts, and if I see one of the worst cuts ever I have no doubt that klitchko was blind on one eye.

Yes Klitschko was in better shape than Lewis, and did better for most of the fight, but what matters was happened at the END. If I beat you up for 9 rounds, and you knock me the hell out in the 10th, my domination earlier will mean nothing because that's not what mattered at the end.

Klitchko has never been down against fighters who were no near the fighter Lewis was. If anyone was gonna knock him down/out, it would sure as heck be lewis(The hardest, best puncher he had ever faced. ). Especially in the condition Vitali was in.

I agree with this, a great post As were your others.

Lewis was tired, but he was the one beating Vitali up and Vitali was holding on for dear life (Well kinda). It's a funny coincidence that i happened to watch this fight a couple of days ago!

[Stickman]

Well, I like him but not really a fan. You're right about lewis' stamina, but that doesn't change the fact that he probably still had enough left in him to finish Klitschko after the 6th round. People put too much stock into the sight of Lewis "collapsing" on his stool. 30 seconds is enough for an experienced proffesional fighter to get enough wind. I could understand what they meant if Lewis was frozen and gasping for wind with 2 minutes left in the final round, but Lewis was beating Vitali untill the very last second of the 6th round.

If the cut wasn't affecting his vision, then why was every lewis right hand landing, thus nearly knocking him out every time?(Just watch the end of the round when Klitschko is hanging on for dear life.) It would be a very big coincidence that Lewis was hitting the right cross homerun repeatedly just when Vitali's cut was at its worse.

Fighters have had a lot of trouble seeing even from minor cuts, and if I see one of the worst cuts ever I have no doubt that klitchko was blind on one eye.

Yes Klitschko was in better shape than Lewis, and did better for most of the fight, but what matters was happened at the END. If I beat you up for 9 rounds, and you knock me the hell out in the 10th, my domination earlier will mean nothing because that's not what mattered at the end.

Klitchko has never been down against fighters who were no near the fighter Lewis was. If anyone was gonna knock him down/out, it would sure as heck be lewis(The hardest, best puncher he had ever faced. ). Especially in the condition Vitali was in.

I disagree that the last round was the most meaningful. I've probably watched that fight as many or more than anyone on this forum, and the impression I got from the last round was that Klitchko was taking a break, maybe looking to spend a bunch of energy in the next. Lewis did look better in the 6th, but again, I think because he was in a panic, doing everything he could to get rid of Klitchko, and it didn't work. He spent alot of energy that round, and it would've shown in the next. Now I'm not saying Klitchko would've definitely taken Lewis out, but I believe it was headed in that direction had the fight continued.

As for Klitchko never having faced a fighter like Lewis before, you're right. But as for power, Sanders was a bigger puncher than Lewis and later on, Vitali caught several huge left hands, flush, from Corrie and still didn't go down, I don't think he'd have gone down from a Lennox right...remember, he caught a number of those during that fight too, he walked through most of them.

I'm not trying to say that Klitchko was (is) a better fighter than Lewis, I think he was just too tough for Lewis to KO, and Lennox would've most likely been on the canvas himself had the fight continued. But all this discussion is really to no end, really....Lennox won the fight, fair and square, and nobody can take that away or say otherwise. It was, in my opinion, one of the best heavyweight fights in the last 30 years, and would've paid nearly any PPV price to see a rematch.

[Johnny Rebel]

We will never know who would have won the fight and if the referee had called the cut was caused by an accidental headbutt (there was a clash of heads a second before the cut appears) Vitali wins a UD. As a Vitali fan I would have never bragged about him getting a technical decision win the way Lewis fans always do, when the fight was inconclusive.

It's a shame there was no rematch where both fighters had the proper time to prepare for each other. After Vitali knocked out Johnson so fast I think Lewis knew it was unlikely he could win the rematch. Lewis also knew that in order to beat Vitali he would have to be in a war since he was not just going to be able to out-box or KO Vitali with one punch. Lewis waiting so long to retire after the fight and promising Vitali a rematch if he proved the eye was healed which Vitali did by knocking out Johnson. Then trying to coach Sanders and Williams on how to beat Vitali (when he was unable to do so legitimately) only makes it look like Lewis was indeed ducking Vitali and this has tarnished his legacy.

[ATFsven]

Its option 2 for me.
LL was catching his 2nd wind. 2 or 3 more rounds and vitali would ahve either quit or had his lights turned out.

[Joe2608]

Lewis would have knocked him out.

[Flawless]

Round 6 TKO. Lewis killed Vitali Career.