Comments Thread For: Seven Degrees of Lennox Lewis: Champ Discusses All

[ChopperRead]

The other interesting thing about this Lewis being so "old and infirm and one-step-out-of the-old-folk's home" when he fought Vitali excuse is the fact that the fight with Vitali wasn't out of character for Lewis as far as his "condition" is concerned.

Was Lewis "too old" when he came into the ring and got knocked cold by a fat journeyman named Hasim Rahman? Or was he just not in the best of condition?

Obviously it was the latter case. Lewis often wasn't in the very best shape for his fights, so the Vitali fight wasn't out of the ordinary for him. This is a guy who was knocked out by two journeymen. He was hardly invincible. The referee most likely saved him from a third defeat against Vitali.

[Deal With It]

ducked is the wrong word, he tunred a fight down. There is a difference imo.

Just like there is a difference between retiring and avoiding someone.


But i was disappointed in Vitali for turning that down, i thought he wouldve snapped Lewis' hand of for an oppertunity to beat him the way he used to go on and on about fighting him. Guess he didnt want it THAT badly afterall.

What the hell had Vitali done in his career up until '03 to deserve a 50/50 purse split against an undisputed champ who participated in one of the highest grossing boxing events in boxing history?

That's a blatant duck.

He turned it down because he knew he would lose and it would've destroyed his career.

[gingeralbino]

The other interesting thing about this Lewis being so "old and infirm and one-step-out-of the-old-folk's home" when he fought Vitali excuse is the fact that the fight with Vitali wasn't out of character for Lewis as far as his "condition" is concerned.

Was Lewis "too old" when he came into the ring and got knocked cold by a fat journeyman named Hasim Rahman? Or was he just not in the best of condition?

Obviously it was the latter case. Lewis often wasn't in the very best shape for his fights, so the Vitali fight wasn't out of the ordinary for him. This is a guy who was knocked out by two journeymen. He was hardly invincible. The referee most likely saved him from a third defeat against Vitali.

i agree, those 2 loses hurt his career badly, even though he fact he rematched both of them and stopped them easily shows he was both eager to prove to himself and others wrong that he was better than them and wasn't afraid of getting hurt again it still is a black mark against his name. He "definitely" was not invincible.

btw how did Vitali do in his 2 rematches to the guys who beat him?

[Jedi Vader]

The other interesting thing about this Lewis being so "old and infirm and one-step-out-of the-old-folk's home" when he fought Vitali excuse is the fact that the fight with Vitali wasn't out of character for Lewis as far as his "condition" is concerned.

Was Lewis "too old" when he came into the ring and got knocked cold by a fat journeyman named Hasim Rahman? Or was he just not in the best of condition?

Obviously it was the latter case. Lewis often wasn't in the very best shape for his fights, so the Vitali fight wasn't out of the ordinary for him. This is a guy who was knocked out by two journeymen. He was hardly invincible. The referee most likely saved him from a third defeat against Vitali.

You've not answered my question but nevermind.

If there are a few decent things about you Chopper, then it's not very often I see you name calling. Also, you don't resort to ignore like your comrades do so I respect you for that.

[fitefanSHO]

Imagine if your favorite boxer's greatest career acheivement was not being able to last 7 rounds with a nearly 40 year old fighter. I don't know if you can get any more pitiful than that.

How about insisting that Lewis "ducked" Vitali when in fact...he FOUGHT him.

[Jedi Vader]

What the hell had Vitali done in his career up until '03 to deserve a 50/50 purse split against an undisputed champ who participated in one of the highest grossing boxing events in boxing history?

That's a blatant duck.

He turned it down because he knew he would lose and it would've destroyed his career.

Agreed Bro and that link absolutely confirms it for me now.

[Forza]

black kids mad because they suck at boxing

[gingeralbino]

What the hell had Vitali done in his career up until '03 to deserve a 50/50 purse split against an undisputed champ who participated in one of the highest grossing boxing events in boxing history?

That's a blatant duck.

He turned it down because he knew he would lose and it would've destroyed his career.

Lewis made the offer when he was already retired and Vitali was the champ.

I think Vitali should have accepted the offer, but I wouldnt call it a duck, Vitali was the champ and he was a draw at that time. BUT it does show he wasnt that keen to avenge his loss. 30% of the purse for that fight probably wouldve been his biggest payday so its not like he got a **** offer.

[ChopperRead]

How about insisting that Lewis "ducked" Vitali when in fact...he FOUGHT him.

I believe there is a semantic difference between saying "he ducked a rematch" and "he ducked him altogether."

It's his right not to rematch Vitali, but he has to live with the fact that he was booed out of the arena in the last fight of a great career. And he still is bothered by that.

Can't imagine that is the way he wanted to go out, but he obviously felt that it wasn't worth the risk to do a rematch, even for potentially the biggest purse of his career.

[Neckodeemus]

Chopper, Lewis beat Vitali in June 2003, Lewis retired on February 6 2004. I guess one or two Klitschko fans live under Eastern European regimes which scrapped the Gregorian Calender due to the fact that it "Wasn't sympathetic to the Communist regime". Either that or yous don't know the dates surrounding this 'held the titles for over a year' argument.