Lewis v Vitali

[Kilburn]

Lewis might have got laid out for keeps by the next shot McCall threw. But he might also have half fallen down again without getting hit clean, thus giving him a few more seconds to recover. Either way a defending world champion deserves an oppurtunity to try and handle a big crisis, even if it's only for the benefit of experience for future fights. Lewis was denied that oppurtunity unfairly.

[Lexus]

When the referee stopped the fight he grabbed Lewis and you cold see Lewis falling back towards the ropes even though the referee was holding him. Moments later, Harold Knight was holding Lewis although that might have been a consolation hug.

[HeavyHitters]

I recently rewatched this fight, and outside of the heat of the moment, I now have a very different opinion of what transpired.

Although Lewis looked poor at times during the fight, he never looked in any real danger in the fight. His balance made things look far worse than they were, and he looked calm and composed throughout.

Even without that Cut, Lewis looked to me like he would go on to win, Vitali looked far more tired at the end of the fight to me, and Lewis was really starting to lay some big punches on him.

Vitali's own shots never really troubled Lewis, and Lewis slipped and blocked a lot more than appeared on first viewing.

Lewis had found his range by the 4th round, and eventually on the evidence of what was transpiring, would have broken Vitali down and stopped him.

Ehh... you was probably stone drunk again... the 2nd time around.... sober up, Bucko!

[Jedi Knight]

This is what I am saying. For most people watching the fight, used to seeing Lewis composed and accurate, the shock of seeing him looking so ragged and clumsy, actually made Vitali look like he was doing more than he really was.

Whilst Vitali was winning the fight, Lewis looked increasibly comfortable as the rounds wore on, and really looked to be getting into gear. Vitali was huffing like an asthmatic accordion too.

Whilst the fight (without the cut) was still in the balance, it really did look like it was Vitali who was fading, and not Lennox.

I'll do you a tape swap if you like, I've got it on tape.

For the first time James I really think you are looking through union jack glasses....

I too watched the fight more than once and apart from being one of the best heavyweight fights I've seen for a while I think Lewis' defence was shocking and he definetly was hurt.

Take that second round for instance, at one point he was getting hit from pillar to post and I think had Klitschko had slightly more energy to burn in that round, Lewis may have found himself in really big trouble.

Lewis always had a knack of hiding when he was hurt rather well. He always had a bit of a ponderous style so when he got caught and hurt he didn't really look any different.

You may think I'm being harsh on him but the fight I watched had Lewis down by 2-3 rounds and was lucky to have made that cut...

[jamesmcdonnell]

I've managed to track down this old post of mine somehow, just to prove that me and that James do agree from time to time:



Saw it for the first time last night after listening on saturday night to what turned out to be very misleading commentary from radio 5 live. Contrary to what John Rawlings and Duke Mackenzie were telling listeners Lewis was NEVER seriously hurt in that fight. Sure he was getting caught far more than normal but it was obvious from the start that he was prepared to walk through Klitschkos' punches in order to land his own.

The fight reminded me a lot of the Shannon Briggs fight - Lewis sloppy, lazy, not in the best shape, catching too many punches but never in serious trouble. The difference here was that Vitali was tougher than Briggs and far more awkward.

Honestly on the night during that 2nd round I had my hands over my face because it sounded like Lewis was getting bashed all over the ring, out on his feet. It was nothing like that in reality. Aren't people used to Lewis by now? It seems too many "experts" believe that the second he even looks like he's taken a punch or gets knocked off balance then he's on his way to a shocking defeat.

Then on SKY last night you've got McGuigan banging on about the way Lewis sat down on his stool at the end of the sixth. Yep the guy looked tired for sure, but in how many fights over the years have we seen exactly the same thing?? Never mind the fact that seconds earlier Klitschko had looked almost gone from a short right hook to the temple which had him frantically clinging on.

Listening to the Lewis interview on the radio I thought "You tw*t. Give Vitali some credit he's just kicked your arss for 6 rounds and yet you still escape with your title". But after seeing the fight with my own eyes last night I realised the unlucky one there was LEWIS, the cut robbed him of the chance to properly finish off Klitschko. I'm not saying Lennox wasn't relieved that it was over as he hardly looked comfortable battling against his own lack of stamina, but I totally believe him now when he says 2 or 3 more rounds of come forward pressure would've taken Vitali out of the fight - cut or no cut.


Rawlings has gone way down in my estimation, I'll never listen to a fight on radio again.

In fairness to John rawling, i'm sure he's not superhuman, and seeing as you and I both saw what he saw at the time, or thought we saw at the time, which was lewis getting bashed up. when you've stayed up all night and you're really pumped up for the fight, it's hard to be totally objective.

I can honestly say there is no 'union jack goggles' involved. I don't really watch boxing like that, there's no partisan element to it. I cheers heartily for Glen Johnson when he beat Clinton woods, because I felt the better man won, nationality is an irrelevance. I even laughed my ass off when Lewis got lazy and got fucked over by Rahman, because I felt he cheapened the heavyweight title by coming in so sloppy and undermotivated for what was once the biggest prize in sport.

If lewis was hurt in the 2nd round, he was never seriously hurt. Lewis was literally walking through Vitali's shots, which obviously didn't have as much power behind them as some people would like to think. Lewis' biggest problem was his own lack of conditioning, and he was experienced enough to know how to pace himself.

With hindsight I totally understand Lewis' attitude after the fight, he never saw it as a really troublesome night's work, and didn't see himself losing the fight.

What that fight illustrates most to me, that even at his worst, Lewis was too good for a younger, hungrier and better prepared man, a man who would go on to most likely become the main man in the division. At Lewis' age, that's some achievement.

[Tantum]

Moments later, Harold Knight was holding Lewis although that might have been a consolation hug.

It was more than that.

[Loftgroov]

It never ceases to amaze me how that whole Vitali vs Lewis fight has stirred such argument, with (mainly Americans & Eastern Europeans) claiming that Vitali was effectively cheated out of that fight. Since when has a fight being stopped on cuts not been a perfectly legitimate stoppage? (and a seriously nasty cut at that) Vitali lost…he was beaten… he wasn’t good enough to beat Lewis…. let go… accept it… end of.

Was Henry Cooper cheated out of the Muhammed Ali fight because he lost that on cuts despite flooring Ali in the fight and evidently being ahead on points? By these people's logic Cooper was actually a better fighter than Ali then right? I mean… the fight was stopped on cuts, and that doesn’t count, and Ali was lucky…

Yeah ok…