Would Lewis be tempted back?

[Old bones Ian]

Well now we have Vitali Klitschko back as a heavyweight title holder, will we see a massive cash offer to Lennox Lewis to come back?
Lewis has always held out that he's retired, but everyman has his price.

Lewis would be 44 years old , and he hasn't been in fighting condition for 5 years, but his last fight with Vitali finished on a cut, if Lewis had of KO'd Vitali in that fight then i couldn't see him coming back, but seeing as Vitali won a moral victory that night by standing up to Lewis's best punches, and lost on a cut. Its unfinished business.

Personally i hope Lewis does stay retired.

[chinny]

I think Lewis is smart enough and rich enough to stay retired.

He likes the 'will he, won't he' attention though so I wouldn't expect him to discourage the talk.

A bit like how Naz has never officially retired, because he likes people asking the question IMO

[Scrap]

When He Boxed I was never a Fan, probably because for the First year we used the same Gym. Watched Him developing, warts and all. With Hindsight I realise, Lennox was a Great Fighter as time passes I miss Him DD

[Happy Slapper]

I don't think so and I really hope not.

Although I still get the feeling even now he could clear up if he wanted to.

[Hagler2002]

Corals are offering odds on this fight.

[probert24]

But if you go by the most liberal rumored figure of £25/$43 million to Lewis I would find that hard for anyone to pass up.

[josh fg]

The problem this would not be a case of him being tempted back for one fight it would be tempted back for 3 or 4. If the fight is signed one immagens he would need one or 2 tune ups if he loses he'll want a rematch and if he wins he'll be pused into a fight with the other brother

[Gray-Fox]

When you look at the state of boxing now, Lennox Lewis really was a legend. Makes me laugh how he just gets barely any respect whatsoever. This whole sport and its fans make me laugh actually. They say football fans are fickle.

Looking at today's heavyweight and boxing scene overall, Ionly wish fights on the scale of Big L's still existed. Why would he want to come back to this shit?

fornicate it, stay retired and pursue business or something that you will actually get respect for.

[jomothepure]

Coral are after your interest. Look at the odds on Klitschko. Look at the deadline for the fight.

[Abbo]

It would a tragedy for his legacy if he did.

Speed (relative for a huge guy) was a large part of what made Lennox so good, as was hunger to achieve a legacy.

He would no longer have either of those *huge* weapons.

Dont do it Lennox

[doctorboxing]

I dont think Lewis should come back as he has nothing to prove and he will not be the same fighter - saying that I still think he would beat Vitali.

However if it was me, I would come back just for the money (after all he has losses on his record, no 0 to protect) and the chance to really challenge myself again. Its hard to turn down the figures being banded about.

Also if he did do it and he did win and Haye beat wlad - the biggest British fight ever:

Haye v Lewis for the WBC, IBF and WBO world titles

I can but dream.....

[overhand_right]

He's never coming back, wake up guys. Lennox is out on the beach in jamaica counting his millions with his wife and baby, doesn't have to do f##k all for the rest of his days and no doubt laughing at the mess in the heavyweight division and this sad old man Vitali who can't let go.

[banjo]

LOL

I think Lennox should get a restraining order put on Vitali the stalker before this becomes something more than an obsession, Vitali couldn't beat an inactive unmotivated and undertrained Lennox 5 years ago and so what if he beat him now, what would it prove? That he can beat a once great fighter who hasn't fought for half a decade, WOW!!!

If Vitali wants to make his own legacy rather than live off a defeat to Lennox then he should concentrate on cleaning up the heavyweight division, hopefully he will do this by ending the Valuev freak show.

[overhand_right]

Vitali's almost like the Max Cady character in Cape Fear, with his stalking of Lennox. I wouldn't be surprised to hear of him being sighted lingering around the shadows of Lennox's estate wearing a hawai shirt just like Cady.

[deadpan]

Vit in Cape Fear?

He doesn't want to eat Lennox's unborn children, just put their fingers in his mouth.

[Bard of Boxrec]

He wants them for their urine!

[jamesmcdonnell]

Vitali's almost like the Max Cady character in Cape Fear, with his stalking of Lennox. I wouldn't be surprised to hear of him being sighted lingering around the shadows of Lennox's estate wearing a hawai shirt just like Cady.

Great film that, the original that is.

[WildWaylon]

George Foreman grabbed a world title at 45 in a come back but Lennox has more than enough money so why would he be bothered. He didnt want to see Bruno make a come back did he.

[Bricks]

He'll stay retired. Physically he looks a lot older than when he retired 3 years ago and I just get the feeling he has deteorioted a lot in a boxing sense too.
He already beat vitali once and he probably doesnt need the money. I also think lennox likes the will be wont he attention and his legacy means a lot to him.
He's a level headed guy very happy in retirement. £20 million net would make him think tho but I dont think he wants to lose at this stage and he knows that could happen

[overhand_right]

George Foreman grabbed a world title at 45 in a come back but Lennox has more than enough money so why would he be bothered. He didnt want to see Bruno make a come back did he.

Foreman was totally knockout-proof though, a pure freak of nature. No other old heavy has been able to match his achievements and i doubt Lewis would. And what would he gain anyway?

[Tykemania]

Thats the question - what is there for him to gain? When Foreman became champion at 45, there were some good to great fighters around the division and it was seen as a genuine acheievement. Now, whilst there are at least signs of something more promising ahead, the general standard is poor and, lets face it, Lewis would not be able to significantly add to his legacy by fighting again.

In any event, what does he have to prove to Klitschko? Yes, the fight was stopped on cuts and that sometimes implies fortune, but in this battle the Ukrainian had been sliced up like the victims in Saw by punches and there was no controversial aspect to it. He'd won some rounds, yes, but if the fight had gone on the only thing that would have changed was that he may have been hurt badly enough to end his career!

[wouter]

Thats the question - what is there for him to gain? When Foreman became champion at 45, there were some good to great fighters around the division and it was seen as a genuine acheievement. Now, whilst there are at least signs of something more promising ahead, the general standard is poor and, lets face it, Lewis would not be able to significantly add to his legacy by fighting again.

In any event, what does he have to prove to Klitschko? Yes, the fight was stopped on cuts and that sometimes implies fortune, but in this battle the Ukrainian had been sliced up like the victims in Saw by punches and there was no controversial aspect to it. He'd won some rounds, yes, but if the fight had gone on the only thing that would have changed was that he may have been hurt badly enough to end his career!

No matter how much money Lewis has in the bank, it's hard to resist the payday that would be coming his way. As far as tainting his legacy goes, I don't think fighters as successful as Lewis seriously consider the option of losing - if sufficiently prepared. Taking a fight like this or not has more to do with the willingness to make the necessary sacrifices.

[Tykemania]

No matter how much money Lewis has in the bank, it's hard to resist the payday that would be coming his way. As far as tainting his legacy goes, I don't think fighters as successful as Lewis seriously consider the option of losing - if sufficiently prepared. Taking a fight like this or not has more to do with the willingness to make the necessary sacrifices.

Depends - Lewis already has enough money to last him several lifetimes, and I do not think that teh chance to beat klitschko again would seriously motivate him to return - after all, he did the job pretty damn well the first time.

[E]

I doubt it - Vitali was winning the fight til the cut and had plenty of energy left unlike the exhausted Lewis.

[Tykemania]

(I appreciate that this is the whole point of discussion boards and respect your opinion but...) we must have been watching different fights - whilst Vlad was certainly a round or two ahead at the time of the stoppage, his face resembled that of a horror movie victim and every time Lewis hit him, he visibly shook. He was fit and willing, sure, but he was being ground into a pulp.