Did Lewis retire simply to avoid fighting Vitaly ?

[daggum]

obviously he did. he was getting his ass kicked and had to resort to "the stinger" to cut up vitali's face.

[BROOKLYN CESAR]

Yes and only Lewis nuthuggers will say differently

Lewis didnt want to fight Vitali

End Thread

You are a ****en dumb arse **** boy!!!

[GranTorino]

In my own humble opinion, yes, Lennox retired for exactly that reason. He did not want to retire with a loss, and knew that if they fought again, that's what would likely happen. He took his win, disgraceful as it was, and retired.

[enadeus]

I voted no because its "simply" not true.

He retired after defeating who most considered the weaker brother. He didn't look well in that fight, and probably would have lost. He was 38 I believe and had a long career.

A fight with Vitali, a rematch, would have been mega bucks for both and possibly saved the sport because their fight was really the last major heavyweight mega bout... since it happened.

So to say he retired to avoid fighting him is probably not true. I think Lewis knew he would lose the rematch, he no longer physically had it. I guess he wasn't willing to take a shot at it, the money didn't outweigh his legacy. He choose his legacy.

Many would consider him top 10 of all time if polled right now, if he lost, who knows? People change their mind rather quickly.

[hammerhiem]

Lol so funny to see the insecure Lewis fans always resort to the old Lewis argument of "LOOK AT THE STATE OF HIS FACE" and Larry Merchant asks Lewis do you give him credit? Lewis answer "LOOK AT THE STATE OF HIS FACE", Lewis you realize he was beating you on all scorecards and looked the fresher of the two, Lewis answers "LOOK AT THE STATE OF HIS FACE".

Its like Lewis and the rest of his deluded fans have nothing else to go on in that fight other than "LOOK AT THE STATE OF HIS FACE"

But the bottom line is, cuts and injuries happen, and if the opponent is clearly winning and loses because of the cut, it is only fair to give that opponent a rematch, certainly after you manage to make a promise that you would.

No the bottom line is: If you screw someones face up that badly in a boxing ring, it's never going to the scorecards and you are going to win the bout.

Thats the bottom line.

[WLAD_OWNS]

Anybody with at least 2 brain cells knows that Vitali scared Lewis into retirement.

Lewis turned down 25 million dollars for a rematch because he knew he would get KO'd by Vitali.

[Naps]

Vitali also retired. I think HE was the one doing the ducking. He got mutilated by an untrained Lewis, imagine what would've happened in the rematch!!

[Jim Jeffries]

Vitali also retired. I think HE was the one doing the ducking. He got mutilated by an untrained Lewis, imagine what would've happened in the rematch!!

Um, Vitali retired 3 fights and over a year and a half later, after it was clear that Lennox wouldn't fight him. You can imagine all you want what would've happened, I'd rather have seen it.

Lewis was 37 when he walked away and he had earned the right to do so. This last fight was a hell of a lot tougher than he'd planned and he was relieved to have it stopped when it was. I think he preferred to retire having beaten every man he faced, rather than hang on while past his best.

[Enayze]

No the bottom line is: If you screw someones face up that badly in a boxing ring, it's never going to the scorecards and you are going to win the bout.

Thats the bottom line.

Ok, but that still has nothing to do with him beating Vitali convincingly. He did not outbox Vitali, nor did he hurt Vitali, he actually did nothing to Vitali apart from causing that cut that blinded him in one eye.Thats not a true way a champion should win a fight. You know I know it, everyone knows it. There should have been a rematch end of story.

The funny thing is Lewis was more than willing to have a rematch with Tyson and even sued Don King for nearly 400 million because of Don King doing things to prevent it.

Lets do the math and put two and two together. Lewis desperately wanted a Tyson rematch in which he knew he was getting easy money and an easy win. That scenario Lewis did not mind and even went so far as to sue Don King....
However when faced with a rematch with Vitali where the money would've been equally as big, but the fight unarguably much harder he instead had his doctors check Vitali's eye to find an excuse not to fight him, then he made Vitali go through Kirk Johnson, and finally after 3 more months he retires.

If this had happened while Lewis was younger, I am sure Lewis would have undoubtedly granted Vitali a rematch, but at that 37 year stage Lewis understood his chances of winning a rematch were slim.

[WLAD_OWNS]

Vitali also retired. I think HE was the one doing the ducking. He got mutilated by an untrained Lewis, imagine what would've happened in the rematch!!

Lewis has been ducking Vitali for over 5 years. He knows he can't beat Vitali in a rematch, so he tries to train fighters to beat Vitali. He helped Sanders, Williams and now Haye.