Should there have been a Vitali-Lewis rematch?

[BennyST]

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.

That's the first good, unbiased post I've seen you post about these subjects, I think ever. Props.

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...

That's what fame, fortune, millions of dollars, age, retirement and a TKO victory over the opponent already will do.

[Weltschmerz]

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.

Sir, thank you for your elaborate contribution, I respect your post.

[BennyST]

Sir, thank you for your elaborate contribution, I respect your post.

Cheers mate.

[Simurgh]

This fight could have done much for the both fighters (more for vitali though).

I remember the atmosphere after the fight. Everybody were talking about the rematch and everybody were convinced there will be a rematch.

Lennox had every right to do what he did. I take Vitali as his best win by far. Nevertheless, I think Lennox made the right decision.

[KickAzz]

Lewis lost the hunger to train hard. it's good he retired

[JAB5239]

Should Lewis have offered Vitali the rematch after their fight in 2003?

Why ould he have? He had been talking about retiring before he fought Tyson. He talked about it again just days before Johnson dropped out and Vits was given his chance. Ironicall Lewis said he wanted one more fight aghainst Vittles or Jones. Vits got his shot and lost, end of story.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/232555

“A lot of different things happened to me in my year out of the ring. Most definitely I’ve been thinking about retiring on a last big super-fight — it could be Vitali Klitschko or Roy Jones."

[JAB5239]

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.

Lewis had always said it wasn't the money that motivated him, so that is out the window. And fighters say all sorts of thing right after a hard fight. Face it, he beat Vittles up fair and square and owed him nothing.

[JAB5239]

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.

Very well put!

[JAB5239]

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...

Marlon Starling also said not only wasn't he knocked out against Thomas Molinares, but he wasn't even knocked down. In other words fighters are hardly thinking straight immediately after a fight. Like I said before, I plenty more examples if need be. Lewis had been set on retiring and that what he did. He should be applauded.

[JAB5239]

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.

Face it bro, this fight is far more interesting (no matter what side of the fence you're on) than any of the crap fights coming up. It's why its still debated so feverishly.