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Like I said, officially, the fight went down as a loss for Klitschko. But, in all the most significant ways, it was a victory. Here's how:
After a fight, both fighters cope and deal with the result of the fight. In Lewis case, it's clear that the fallout from this fight left no more room in boxing for him. Lewis was past his prime but still very capable of beating much of the competition out there, and that represented millions of dollars of potential earnings. But, to get to that business, he had to rematch Klitschko and eleviate any doubt that may have existed about who the better of the two was. Unlike any other time in Lewis career, he'd finally met someone who he didn't believe in himself against. He knew he was physically outmatched and that Klitschko wasn't intimidated by him like most other fighters had been.
Essentially, Vitali Klitschko ended the career of Lennox Lewis.
For Klitschko, the fight, even as an official loss, was a win. The fans wanted a rematch and he was the only fighter willing to make it happen. In fact, even to this day, he's said "I still dream of a rematch with Lennox Lewis."
So, since their fight, Klitschko has, for all intents and purposes, been the world's heavyweight champion. He shares that recognition with his brother, who's arguably the more recognized of the two now, and they dominate the heavyweight division.
Bottom line: On June 21 , 2003, at the Los Angeles Staples Center, Lennox Lewis suffered a set back in his career while Vitali Klitschko took the first step toward taking what Lennox Lewis had.
If you doubt that, go back and watch the post-fight interview with Lennox Lewis and watch how confused, dilluded, and desperate he was in the post-fight interview. Amidst a crowd of booers, Lewis denied that there was any booing going on. He denied that Klitschko was winning the fight, even after being told that the official judges scorecards proved it. It's the only time I've ever seen Lennox Lewis lacking poise and pressence in a post-fight interview. Somehow, he knew that the fight did not go well for him, and he didn't know how to respond.
Meanwhile, Klitschko is raising his hands in a moral victory of sorts and the crowd is cheering.
After a fight, both fighters cope and deal with the result of the fight. In Lewis case, it's clear that the fallout from this fight left no more room in boxing for him. Lewis was past his prime but still very capable of beating much of the competition out there, and that represented millions of dollars of potential earnings. But, to get to that business, he had to rematch Klitschko and eleviate any doubt that may have existed about who the better of the two was. Unlike any other time in Lewis career, he'd finally met someone who he didn't believe in himself against. He knew he was physically outmatched and that Klitschko wasn't intimidated by him like most other fighters had been.
Essentially, Vitali Klitschko ended the career of Lennox Lewis.
For Klitschko, the fight, even as an official loss, was a win. The fans wanted a rematch and he was the only fighter willing to make it happen. In fact, even to this day, he's said "I still dream of a rematch with Lennox Lewis."
So, since their fight, Klitschko has, for all intents and purposes, been the world's heavyweight champion. He shares that recognition with his brother, who's arguably the more recognized of the two now, and they dominate the heavyweight division.
Bottom line: On June 21 , 2003, at the Los Angeles Staples Center, Lennox Lewis suffered a set back in his career while Vitali Klitschko took the first step toward taking what Lennox Lewis had.
If you doubt that, go back and watch the post-fight interview with Lennox Lewis and watch how confused, dilluded, and desperate he was in the post-fight interview. Amidst a crowd of booers, Lewis denied that there was any booing going on. He denied that Klitschko was winning the fight, even after being told that the official judges scorecards proved it. It's the only time I've ever seen Lennox Lewis lacking poise and pressence in a post-fight interview. Somehow, he knew that the fight did not go well for him, and he didn't know how to respond.
Meanwhile, Klitschko is raising his hands in a moral victory of sorts and the crowd is cheering.
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