Best I Faced: Lennox Lewis....

[Monzon99]

A rumor was that Vitali paid Johnson to fake an injury so he could step in. Vitali had already taken Lewis to court three or four times trying to force the fight. The reward for Johnson was he got the fight with Vitali but was KOed early at MSG.

[Monzon99]

Vitali was unquestionably the best Lewis ever fought. Vitali was far better than Holyfield, too big too strong too smart. Lennox for some reason will never admit this. He is still probably deeply bothered that Vitali ran him out of the sport against his will. Also Lewis was booed out of the ring in the Staples Center after the Vitali fight, also a humiliating moment. In his heart, Lewis is not sure he was even better than Vitali, he was losing the fight, If not for those cuts Vitali probably would have beat him. Lewis was not at his worst in the Vitali fight either, he was up against the toughest best fighter he ever faced.

[NORMNEALON]

Before the Vitali fight, Lennox never mentioned any thoughts of retirement. Watch the full HBO telecast, he sounded like he planned on several more fights. No mention of quitting. He quit after Vitali because that brutal fight stripped him of his self belief that he was the best. Lennox was not sure if he could beat Vitali in the rematch. Lennox cleverly waited around for two more Vitali fights before finally officially retiring. Lennox was hoping Vitali would lose to Kirk Johnson and Corrie Sanders and even predicted Vitali would lose both of those fights. When Vitali won both, Lennox decided to retire - because he could not continue boxing without giving Vitali the rematch. Trust me, I followed this whole drama very closely. Lewis was not sure he could beat Vitali in the rematch, that's why he retired.

I remember reading a interview with manny steward where he said that lewis wanted to continue fighting (manny was against it ) but the thing that held him back was his wife violet told him if he fights on she will leave him . Not sure the truth to this but manny was a straight shooter from what I know . Lewis def planned to keep fighting after it . If he had of faced johnson he had a contract to face vitali by december of that year that's why they were showcased on the same card originally before they ended up fighting one another . Def I agree tho lewis was prolly not so sure about beating vitali in the rematch either way .

[QueensburyRules]

Vitali was supposed to fight on the undercard of lewis vs johnson vs Cedric Boswell . They were both well into camps when the fight was made with 2 weeks to the date . They both were under the same circumstances.

- -Vitali was the replacement for Tyson who pulled out of the undercard 3 weeks before the date.

Lewie had 10 Split weeks total for a title fight compared to Vitali 3 split weeks with only the last two for a title fight.

[NORMNEALON]

- -Vitali was the replacement for Tyson who pulled out of the undercard 3 weeks before the date.

Lewie had 10 Split weeks total for a title fight compared to Vitali 3 split weeks with only the last two for a title fight.

Vitali was scheduled to fight on the undercard from the get go , his opponent just wasnt announced until may 5 which was cedric boswell but vitali was scheduled to appear on the card regardless and had a full camp in motion . tyson never signed the contracts therefore didnt need to replaced as he was never on the card officially . But I agree lewis had a year off before the fight and had plenty of time to get in shape. Vitali was in the midst of a full training camp when called up to the main event . Granted he was training for TBA then Cedric boswell . But lewis was training for bubba johnson which in hindsight is about the same caliber opponent .but the johnson fight was not a title fight ( unless u view the ibo as a legit title ) , lewis was training for what was looked at as a tune up . The wbc refused to sanction the bout and lennox had given up his ibf title already .

[The plunger man]

Look at this moron brining up gulags now. Is that how you brits insult someone? Pathetic.

it’s what a sour bad loser deserves like you.
Vitali lost so get use to it

[DreamFighter]

Lewis was being nice to Vitali by inventing a "smartest" berth for the sports science graduate, who was technically the smartest by dint of education.

If he was judging by an actual boxing ability then he'd not be able to place Vitali in this conversation.Bruno did better than Vitali on all fronts, and he doesnt even figure.

[DreamFighter]

Before the Vitali fight, Lennox never mentioned any thoughts of retirement. Watch the full HBO telecast, he sounded like he planned on several more fights. No mention of quitting. He quit after Vitali because that brutal fight stripped him of his self belief that he was the best. Lennox was not sure if he could beat Vitali in the rematch. Lennox cleverly waited around for two more Vitali fights before finally officially retiring. Lennox was hoping Vitali would lose to Kirk Johnson and Corrie Sanders and even predicted Vitali would lose both of those fights. When Vitali won both, Lennox decided to retire - because he could not continue boxing without giving Vitali the rematch. Trust me, I followed this whole drama very closely. Lewis was not sure he could beat Vitali in the rematch, that's why he retired.

shame that he already beat him faster and easier than he beat bruno then, since it ruins your cod theory entirely.

[Marchegiano]

No single belt holder ranks above any undisputed. Don't be ******.


You know how many undisputed champions ever made 3 or more successful title defenses as undisputed?

Not ****ing Lennox, and damn sure not ****ing Vitali huh?

There's like 8 of the mother ****ers, ever, period.

No one before Louis had done it.

Louis
Charles
Marciano
Patterson
Frazier
Ali
Tyson
Holyfield


The **** did Vitali do? Beat Bean five years after Holy? You can polish every turd on that resume, ain't even close to Evander's run.

[Vlad_]

it’s what a sour bad loser deserves like you.
Vitali lost so get use to it

The only thing I said was that Lennox's excuse for not giving Vitali the rematch was pathetic.

You turned it into an argument with insults like a bitch full of estrogen.