Does anyone else think Lennox would have got KO'd if the fight had continued?

[Weltschmerz]

George Foreman: "Vitali was winning the fight. Lewis got lucky. There has to be a rematch!"

Jim Lampley: "A lucky escape for Lewis who was clearly losing the fight"

Even Emanuel Steward was upset at Lewis for blatantly ducking a Vitali rematch.

[saintpat]

If not ko'd, I could see him getting stopped with a flurry of punches and the ref jumps in when he sees lennox is no longer throwing back,

I've watched this fight more times than I can count. The last two rounds showed Lewis was taking over the fight, but he ended up using a lot of his energy for it to happen, especially after putting a lot of his energy into that devastating uppercut that should have, but failed to drop Vitali. You see how Lewis plopped down on his stool at the end of the 6th round. He didn't have much left in the tank at that point. Vitali's eye was cut, but you can see he had more energy than Lewis by watching the way he got off his stool yelling in frustration wanting the fight to continue pushing everyone away and the camera showed Lennox still sitting on his stool with a look of relief. In my opinion, I think Lewis would have got KO'd. Not in the 7th, but the 8th. Great fight though. Nothing wrong with Lennox going out on top.

Anyone else obsessing over this fight to this day?

I don't think I've watched it since it happened.

[BigNuts]

Yay an original topic.

How exciting.

f off.........

[Left Hook Tua]

LOL lucky....


you know who was lucky? vitali that he didn't lose his eye.

[soul_survivor]

Next time you watch the fight look at Vitaly during the sixth.

Vitaly was in far worse condition over the last two rounds.

All I remember is Lewis gassing and gassing BAD. Vitali was bleeding like a fountain though but he seemed the fresher of the two in terms of stamina.

[BigNuts]

All I remember is Lewis gassing and gassing BAD. Vitali was bleeding like a fountain though but he seemed the fresher of the two in terms of stamina.

That is what I also observed.

[IMDAZED]

All I remember is Lewis gassing and gassing BAD. Vitali was bleeding like a fountain though but he seemed the fresher of the two in terms of stamina.

Not to me.

Lewis was throwing more. Vitaly did nothing but hold. And he was breathing heavy too. Not to mention bleeding from EVERYWHERE. People say Lewis was exhausted because he plopped down and grabbed the rope. Well duh yeah, it was a war. One he had taken full control of. But anyway, check back like I said.

[soul_survivor]

Not to me.

Lewis was throwing more. Vitaly did nothing but hold. And he was breathing heavy too. Not to mention bleeding from EVERYWHERE. People say Lewis was exhausted because he plopped down and grabbed the rope. Well duh yeah, it was a war. One he had taken full control of. But anyway, check back like I said.

I'll watch it back, it's a pretty entertaining fight but either way, none of it will change my opinions on the matter, Vitali was winning on points but Lewis won the fight. He rearranged Vitali's face. Yes a rematch should have happened and we wouldn't be having this conversation today but sadly Lewis decided to call it a day.

Edit: Just rewatched it, uglier than I remember but still a lot of fun. I scored it:

1 - Vitali, controlled the distance and was busier
2 - Vitali, hurt Lewis several times, best round of the fight
3 - Lewis, Lewis lands some good shots, Vitali is cut and Lewis ups the work rate
4 - Vitali, good come back, Lewis sags against the rope several times and looks out on his feet
5 - Vitali, is busier but at times Lewis looks like he could explode but doesn't
6 - Vitali, could go either way, what do you like? Vitali's activity? or Lewis' 2 good uppercuts? I went for activity

I almost forgot how many times Lewis went in with his head or scraped the bottom of his gloves/arms all across Vitali's face, there should have been a points deduction. Those cuts were made worse by illegal tactics, should the fight have gone to points?

[deathofaclown]

Lewis won fair and square by TKO, it's irrelevant.

Also both guys looked exhausted when it was stopped but i think Lewis was starting to take control a bit, his experience and superior skills would have taken over once they were both gassed and he would have won anyway.

I never understood the problem people have with this result. It was Lewis' punches that smashed Vitali's eye in and he had to be stopped. It is what it is.

[elfag]

stoppages from injuries/cuts are usually pure luck. In this case the cut was caused by a punch lennox threw while holding.

The stoppage was completely legit, but considering vitali was still winning even with that nasty cut, had it never occured, I see lennox getting stopped, he was more winded than vitali at the end of the rounds.

they were right to stop it though, its their job to protect fighters and you could literally put your thumb inside vitali's face the cut was so bad.