Vitali or Peter: Who Wins?!?!?

[Kobe Bryant]

Peter by knockout.

[PBDS]

True. Even in the 6th round Lewis had nothing left and was totally exhausted.
And there was a reason the crowd applauded Vitali after the fight and booed the stoppage, even if it was just.
There is also a reason one fighter wanted an immideate rematch and the other retired so he would not have to face him.

...Lewis never faced anything like Big Vit and he wanted no part of it a second time around. He left a 30 mil payday on the table to preserve his legacy. Pretty smart when get right down to it.

[Easy-E]

Again, it was strictly his choice and he chose the path he thought was better for him. He didn't see anyone as a threat. He gave Vitali a chance and Vitali didn't take it. Sure he gave Lennox a hard fight, but in the end it was Lewis who had his hand raised. A rematch was wanted but wasn't needed and that's the point of him retiring...

When a fighter is ahead on the cards at the point of a stoppage caused by a cut, and the champion barley able to stand because he is so exhausted, Id say a rematch was warrented.
There was a reason the boxing public as a whole was clamoring for a rematch and dissapointed and dissuaded with Lennox's decision to retire without giving Vitali his due.

[Easy-E]

...Lewis never faced anything like Big Vit and he wanted no part of it a second time around. He left a 30 mil payday on the table to preserve his legacy. Pretty smart when get right down to it.

True.
The odds are that if Lewis had trained 100 percent he would probably come out on top, but the fact that he was not willing to take the risk even for a payday like that says all you need to know about how he felt about the first, and potential second fight.
Lennox got away with one for sure, and he knew it.

[Don Corleone]

...Lewis never faced anything like Big Vit and he wanted no part of it a second time around. He left a 30 mil payday on the table to preserve his legacy. Pretty smart when get right down to it.

Well I agree. A second matchup would was greatly anticipated but he chose the smarter route. And again, I don't think a second matchup was needed, more so wanted. Vitali gave him a really chalenging fight, and was winning on the scorecards but the damage that his face took was too much for the fight to go on and a smart decision was made on the referee's part to stop it. If something were to happen, then people would blame the ref so it was good choice to stop it at that moment...