Should there have been a Vitali-Lewis rematch?

[Weltschmerz]

There was a huge reason to do the rematch that you are missing. It would have been one of the highest paydays for any boxing match ever, maybe THE highest. That's how great the demand was.

And Lewis did agree to a rematch when talking to Larry Merchant after the fight, only to dither for a year and then finally quit.

Yes, I know this. It made so much sense re-matching, from every perspective. Isn't it so that there can be only one conclusion? Not a duck no, but Lewis wanted none of a rematch, regardless of the huge pay check.

Wouldn't look good being retired from a devastating KO loss.

[LacedUp]

There was a huge reason to do the rematch that you are missing. It would have been one of the highest paydays for any boxing match ever, maybe THE highest. That's how great the demand was.

And Lewis did agree to a rematch when talking to Larry Merchant after the fight, only to dither for a year and then finally quit.

lol at this.

[LacedUp]

Yes, I know this. It made so much sense re-matching, from every perspective. Isn't it so that there can be only one conclusion? Not a duck no, but Lewis wanted none of a rematch, regardless of the huge pay check.

Wouldn't look good being retired from a devastating KO loss.

They had a tough fight. Lewis was halfway retired and probably realized he was past it. What makes you think Vitali would be able to inflict a devastating KO in a second fight when he was not able nor close to doing so in their first outing?

[New England]

could there have been?

the demand was there. it was a great fight. it was arguably the last truly great fight at HW. they could have had the rematch immediately, and nobody would have complained.


should there have been? it's the word should that's the issue.


lewis was ready to retire. he stopped klitscko in six rounds by completely destroying his face. if lewis wanted a fight he would have had to wait around for vitali's face to heal, and age another 6 months to a year before the fight.

vitali fought kirk johnson in about six months, but kirk johnson is no lennox lewis... it's pretty remarkable to think that vitali was back in the ring and sparring after only a few months.


lewis wasn't willing to take the rematch, but that doesn't make it a duck, or a fight that needed a remtach. a rematch would have been nice, as it was a great and competitive fight, but the result of the first fight was conclusive, and it wasn't a fight that demanded an immediate rematch, which is the important aspect of the discussion


TKO6.

[BennyST]

It warranted a rematch, because it was a good fight, not because of the outcome, but people saying all this crap of "he was scared", "Lewis ducked him" or "Vitali sent him into retirement" are pathetic.

It was a close fight that was worthy of a rematch, but, Lewis won it and had been talking retirement for some time before the fight anyway. It's clear that he felt he just couldn't get up for a big fight anymore. That's what happens when you are already retiring.

People forget two things: he had already just beaten Vitali. That makes it ten times harder to get up for a fight thats not your biggest when you're at the end of your career and looking at retirement anyway. Vitali was young, whole career still ahead of him, in his prime and this was the biggest fight that he'd ever have. It wasn't Lewis' biggest, and since he'd already won the first fight he would have felt very little motivation to do it all again. After a year out, and clearly enjoying retirement he would have felt no need to do it again.

Second thing, when you're at the end of your career and you've already fought the biggest names you're going to fight and climbed the highest mountains, doing it again for lesser known fighters is that much harder. Why do you think he came in to the first fight in the worst shape of his career? It's because he'd beaten the two superstars of his generation and the last in Holyfield and Tyson, and had put on the single biggest fight in boxing history.

To then beat the next guy, who is a good fighter and the next future HW king, but still a small name in comparison, in a tough fight and be asked to do it all again in a rematch when you're already talking retirement just takes too much. People forget what these guys go through to get up for these fights. When you're unmotivated, older than ever, rich as hell, have achieved everything you've set out to do already, and beaten every fighter you've faced, including the guy they're asking you to fight again, looking at months of brutal training after a year out, being away from your family etc etc. it starts to become understandable. Eventually things outside of boxing take precedent.

Everyone is clamouring for a fight between Haye and Vitali, but Vitali is at the end of his career, has politics to think about and doesn't really want to fight on. Not only that, but if he'd just beaten Haye in his last fight, I'm positive that he'd retire without a second thought.

A rematch would have been great, and if Lewis wasn't already going to retire and hadn't already achieved everything he set out to do even before fighting Vitali, and if he hadn't already fought and beaten Vitali in six rounds, then obviously it would have happened. But I don't blame Lewis for not taking it at all. Just like everyone else that wins a close fight at the end of their career and has already achieved bigger things decides against a rematch doesn't bother me. In their mind things are settled. He's already won with a TKO and doesn't see the point. It's only the public that are asking for it, and the public doesn't help you get up for months of training when you've already moved on, retired with millions and don't care to do it anymore.

[The Hammer]

It's time for everyone to move on from this fight.

There was no rematch, so whether there should have been or not is irrelevant at this time. Lennox won by TKO 6 in a very entertaining, competitive fight and then retired after the best win of his career.

Now let's move on and focus on the present and future fights.

Let's discuss upcoming heavyweight fights like Fury-Cunningham, Klitschko-Pianeta, Klitschko-Povetkin, Pala-Chisora, Arreola-Stiverne, Povetkin-Wawrzyk, *****ko-Szpilka, etc.

[LacedUp]

It warranted a rematch certainly, but people saying all this crap of "he was scared", "Lewis ducked him" or "Vitali sent him into retirement" are pathetic.

It was a close fight that was worthy of a rematch, but, Lewis won it and had been talking retirement for some time before the fight anyway. It's clear that he felt he just couldn't get up for a big fight anymore.

People forget two things: he had already just beaten Vitali. That makes it ten times harder to get up for a fight thats not your biggest when you're at the end of your career and looking at retirement anyway. Vitali was young, whole career still ahead of him, in his prime and this was the biggest fight that he'd ever have. It wasn't Lewis' biggest, and since he'd already won the first fight he would have felt very little motivation to do it all again. After a year out, and clearly enjoying retirement he would have felt no need to do it again.

Second thing, when you're at the end of your career and you've already fought the biggest names you're going to fit and climbed the highest mountains, doing it again for lesser fighters is that much harder. Why do you think he came in to the first fight in the worst shape of his career? It's because he'd beaten the two superstars of his generation and the last in Holyfield and Tyson, and had put on the single biggest fight in boxing history.

To then beat the next guy, who is a good fighter and the next future HW king, but still a small name in comparison, in a tough fight and be asked to do it all again in a rematch when you're already talking retirement just takes too much. People forget what these guys go through to get up for these fights. When you're unmotivated, older than ever, rich as hell, have achieved everything you've set out to do already, and beaten every fighter you've faced, including the guy they're asking you to fight again, looking at months of brutal training after a year out, being away from your family etc etc. it starts to become understandable. Eventually things outside of boxing take precedent.

Everyone is clamouring for a fight between Haye and Vitali, but Vitali is at the end of his career, has politics to think about and doesn't really want to fight on. Not only that, but if he'd just beaten Haye in his last fight, I'm positive that he'd retire without a second thought.

A rematch would have been great, and if Lewis wasn't already going to retire and hadn't already achieved everything he set out to do even before fighting Vitali, and if he hadn't already fought and beaten Vitali, then obviously it would have happened. But I don't blame Lewis for not taking it at all. Just like everyone else that wins a close fight at the end of their career and has already achieved bigger things decides against a rematch doesn't bother me. In their mind things are settled. He's already won and doesn't see the point. It's only the public that are asking for it, and the public doesn't help you get up for months of training.

Very good post. Props.

[Weltschmerz]

could there have been?

the demand was there. it was a great fight. it was arguably the last truly great fight at HW. they could have had the rematch immediately, and nobody would have complained.


should there have been? it's the word should that's the issue.


lewis was ready to retire. he stopped klitscko in six rounds by completely destroying his face. if lewis wanted a fight he would have had to wait around for vitali's face to heal, and age another 6 months to a year before the fight.

vitali fought kirk johnson in about six months, but kirk johnson is no lennox lewis... it's pretty remarkable to think that vitali was back in the ring and sparring after only a few months.


lewis wasn't willing to take the rematch, but that doesn't make it a duck, or a fight that needed a remtach. a rematch would have been nice, as it was a great and competitive fight, but the result of the first fight was conclusive, and it wasn't a fight that demanded an immediate rematch, which is the important aspect of the discussion


TKO6.

But then, there's also the fact that Lewis told Larry Merchant immediately after the fight that he would 'definitely' give Vitali a rematch 'if it's called for and the money is right'.

But he changed his mind...

[Weltschmerz]

They had a tough fight. Lewis was halfway retired and probably realized he was past it. What makes you think Vitali would be able to inflict a devastating KO in a second fight when he was not able nor close to doing so in their first outing?

Because he had Lewis' number. Lewis had been knocked out a couple times previously in his career - Vitali have never even been floored. Chin vs chin in a second war, Vitali might very well have won by KO.

[Weltschmerz]

It's time for everyone to move on from this fight.

There was no rematch, so whether there should have been or not is irrelevant at this time. Lennox won by TKO 6 in a very entertaining, competitive fight and then retired after the best win of his career.

Now let's move on and focus on the present and future fights.

Let's discuss upcoming heavyweight fights like Fury-Cunningham, Klitschko-Pianeta, Klitschko-Povetkin, Pala-Chisora, Arreola-Stiverne, Povetkin-Wawrzyk, *****ko-Szpilka, etc.

Hey Freedom, I kind of agree - this thread is mostly a response to another typical anti Klitschko thread on these forums.

For the current HW division I will go to your HW schedule thread later.