Lennox Lewis was going to retire after Tyson

[Someone88]

He was wrong...

He should have and COULD HAVE beaten Vitali in a rematch.


It's not his fault....

He had NO IDEA klitschkos was gonna dominate an ENTIRE ERA.
If he had knew.. he would have attempted to chase Wlad in the early 2000's and give Vitali a rematch.

Keep in mind... he was part of that entire Andrew Golota hype train.

EVERYONE TOLD LENNOX.. Golota was gonna be an ATG.. and if he beat Golota he will have an 'ATG' Name on his resume.

Everyone.. EVEN Manny Steward told Lewis 'this kid is gonna be champ some day' pointing to Golota..

Golota was lennoxed and amounted to nothing..

He thought Vitali was Golota part 2....

I'm pretty sure if he knew Vitali would be the champ he is today, he would have pushed for rematch.

Well he didn't push for a rematch, I don't blame him either. If he wanted to retire he shouldn't fight Vitali just for money, he did what he thought was right.

But he did win, didn't he?

There's no escaping that.

Lewis did win. I'm just not agreeing with others who are so sure about what have happened in their primes.

[Someone88]

Problem with Vitali is that his original defense would never work that well against lennox.
Vitali has his left hand hanging down very low (likely this is the result of his early career in martial arts) and he's leaning back to dodge the punches.
That is all right most of the time when you have granite chin and when you are very tall, but experienced and big fighter like Lennox would likely find the way in that defense.
It's not by chance that all the cuts were on the left side.
Experienced Vitali would do much better (especially in rematch) IMO. That's why I am saying that wasn't prime Vitali. I think experience beat him in that fight.

Prime for prime it would be a though night (surely toughest) for Lennox in his career.

Some good points made.

[Someone88]

Do you know what "Ringside Special" is?

It's not right after the fight. It was a couple years back.

And if he then said recently (as in after the Ringside Special interview) that he was at his best (despite weighing in at a career high?), how would you believe him if he's contradiciting himself?

Like I said, anyone is deluded if they think Lewis was prime or even near prime for that fight against Vitali.

It's as simple as that.

Ok maybe Lewis didn't mean it like that, I didn't say he was in his prime. What I'm saying is I don't think Lewis was washed up either.

[Someone88]

Lewis stopped Vitali in six, damn near shattering his face. If that's barely winning then run with that. Vitali barely kept both his eyes in place.

Lewis won but with a struggle, he was outlanded and was behind on the score cards. At that point either could have won.

[DreamFighter]

Simurgh your alt account is too obvious.

Lewis was old and uninterested and yet Vitali was pretty much prime, pumped up and throwing everything at Lennox, he had his best ever chance to beat the old Lion yet he blew it.

Prime Lewis? I dread to think what he would have done to Vitali. Destroyed his eye and subsequent career? V-K was simply was never good enough, thats all there is to it. He was firmly part of the diluted next generation of HWs who are so bad they are regularly picking middleweights, cruisers and LHs as viable opponents.

[DreamFighter]

Lewis won but with a struggle, he was outlanded and was behind on the score cards. At that point either could have won.

how can either win if one of them has his eyeball almost hanging out? Wheres your logic.

[Someone88]

Simurgh your alt account is too obvious.

Lewis was old and uninterested and yet Vitali was pretty much prime, pumped up and throwing everything at Lennox, he had his best ever chance to beat the old Lion yet he blew it.

Prime Lewis? I dread to think what he would have done to Vitali. Destroyed his eye and subsequent career? V-K was simply was never good enough, thats all there is to it. He was firmly part of the diluted next generation of HWs who are so bad they are regularly picking middleweights, cruisers and LHs as viable opponents.

Vitali is much better than anyone Lewis faced other than Holyfield, I could say Vitali is better than him too.

how can either win if one of them has his eyeball almost hanging out? Wheres your logic.

Vitali was still throwing punches, Lewis was tired and hurt as well Vitali still could have won.

But the fight was stopped and I wouldn't say it was a bad decision, but a rematch should have happened to remove doubts. I don't blame Lewis for retiring, but the doubts are still there.

[P4P_No1]

Ok maybe Lewis didn't mean it like that, I didn't say he was in his prime. What I'm saying is I don't think Lewis was washed up either.

No you said he was "near his prime".

The guy weighed a career high and, as he stated himself, was not hungry or interested too much in fighting.

All that mattered to him was becoming the undisputed no1 in the world and knocking out Tyson which he did. Once he accomplished his dreams/target there was nothing else there for him.

Lewis wasn't washed up but he was nearer to being washed up than he was to being near his prime. That's for dam sure.

A unfit and un-focussed Lewis busted Vitali's eye up. Just imagine what a prime and focussed Lewis would have done.

He would have beaten the breaks off of Vitali.

[Someone88]

No you said he was "near his prime".

The guy weighed a career high and, as he stated himself, was not hungry or interested too much in fighting.

All that mattered to him was becoming the undisputed no1 in the world and knocking out Tyson which he did. Once he accomplished his dreams/target there was nothing else there for him.

Lewis wasn't washed up but he was nearer to being washed up than he was to being near his prime. That's for dam sure.

A unfit and un-focussed Lewis busted Vitali's eye up. Just imagine what a prime and focussed Lewis would have done.

He would have beaten the breaks off of Vitali.

Tyson was washed up so I don't think Lewis should get too much credit for that win. Vitali wasn't in his prime either, sure he was closer to his than Lewis. But to say imagine what either would have done is speculation.

Most people thought Marquez wouldn't beat Pacquiao by ko including me, it's not a sure thing especially at the highest level.

[P4P_No1]

Tyson was washed up so I don't think Lewis should get too much credit for that win. Vitali wasn't in his prime either, sure he was closer to his than Lewis. But to say imagine what either would have done is speculation.

Most people thought Marquez wouldn't beat Pacquiao by ko including me, it's not a sure thing especially at the highest level.

Where have I given Lewis credit for beating a washed up Tyson?

And isn't that what you're trying to imply though?

That if there was a rematch the outcome would be very different?