Comments Thread For: Lennox Lewis Shreds Klitschkos' Opponent, Heavyweights

[Dubblechin]

Possibly but Vitali wasn't the one who ran from a rematch everyone wanted to see. Plus, Vitali would have certainly learned from his first mistakes when facing Lewis a 2nd time, so that's a 2 way street.

Vitali Klitschko didn't just suffer a cut, he suffered a half-dozen cuts that required 60 stitches to close. He took stitches above the eye, below the eye, in the mouth. And it's been nearly a decade since that fight, and Vitali still hasn't learned to move his head. Lewis hit Vitali with nearly every right hand he threw ... that's how he tore the left side of Vitali's face apart.

There's nothing Vitali has shown in the years since that he learned from his mistakes, other than he decided not to fight anyone as big as Lennox Lewis ever again. And that's not really "correcting" any flaws.

If they would've fought again within a year, I think Lewis would've won even easier. Vitali didn't change at all.

If Lewis came back, he wouldn't need a tuneup. He wouldn't need to "earn" a fight. Every organization whose belt he held would grant him an immediate title shot.

That's why I think it would be cool if he challenged Wlad. They were on a collision course until Vitali lost to Byrd. That's why they appeared together on the Lewis-Botha/Klitschko-Barrett doubleheader. Wlad was a top-rated WBC contender. Then Wlad somehow got talked into giving up his rating to go after Byrd and the WBO belt. Vitali should've just taken care of Byrd himself. Instead, Wlad was convinced to take on Byrd and Vitali immediately started concentrating on getting ranked by the WBC.

Lewis beat Vitali fair and square. And I'd be all for a rematch if Vitali was the "world" champ ... but he's not. His brother is.

If Lewis came back, he should just fight the World Champ -- who is currently Wlad.

[Mr. Invincible]

Yeah having your little brother fight the guy who TKO'd you is such a bada$$ thing to do

Lol, who said Wlad had to fight him? Vitali was injured and it was a title fight based on revenge. What's not to like. it sure as hell wasn't because Vitali was scared to rematch him. You can go ahead and forget that crap right now.

[Mike_R]

Lennox isn't coming back.

[polarcub]

Jimmy is probably rolling over in his grave right now wanting to reply

[Dubblechin]

I agree with some of what you said but Vitali to me seemed a little green in that fight because he didn't use his defense the way he does now. I also think the Vitali that came back better after the Lewis fight was more near his best and would have beaten any version of Lennox. That's just me though and I can respect a different opinion as long as it's reasonable.

I couldn't disagree more. Vitali has no head movement. His defense consists of fighting short guys who can't reach him when he leans back. When he leaned back against Lewis, Lewis still connected. Lewis didn't shrink and Vitali didn't get taller in the year after they fought.

[Superflo777]

Vitali Klitschko didn't just suffer a cut, he suffered a half-dozen cuts

Get your facts right, it were 3 cuts, of which only one was relevant to the stoppage. And even that was a wrong stoppage to some opinions since the ref thought Vitali was blinded on one eye, which he wasn't.

[SN!PER]

Lewis's fights were some of the best to watch in the HW division, and he's a great fighter, but I give more respect to the Klitschkos for fighting more. Lewis didn't challenge himself to the extent that he could've.

[Dubblechin]

Get your facts right, it were 3 cuts, of which only one was relevant to the stoppage. And even that was a wrong stoppage to some opinions since the ref thought Vitali was blinded on one eye, which he wasn't.

According to the plastic surgeon who stitched him up, 60 stitches to close four cuts on his face and one cut in the mouth. And they were all on the same side of his face. That's my point.

Lewis hit him at will with the right hand and the jab, because Vitali had no head movement, and still doesn't. His defense consisted of leaning back then, and it consists of leaning back now. But leaning back didn't prevent Lewis from hitting him.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/25/sp...ef=lennoxlewis

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Let Lennox speak for himself:

"I'm like fine wine, I get better with age."

You have some of the most flimsy arguments Ive ever seen.

[Mr. Invincible]

But Vitali didn't rematch Byrd so isn't he similar to Lewis in this regard?

Not really, because he was easily beating Byrd and after that Wlad imediately fought him and took the belt. I do think that the rematch would have happened anyways if Vitali had not retired the first time but that is history.