What If: Lennox Lewis vs Vitali Klitschko in the rematch

[DrDuke]

A one of the biggest questions. What could have been, if Lewis decided, that he had still something to prove after that fair yet debatable stoppage. Furthermore there was some talk about the possibility of the rematch to happen. What do you think, how the second fight could have turned out, if it had been made?

[Boxerbeetle]

I believe Lewis would have beaten him again. Probably would have boxed a bit smarter the second time around and made it more comfortable. Although of course there’s always a chance that the well runs dry at that age, so certainly no guarantee.

[DrDuke]

First of all, I guess, it's important to point out, that Vitali was an exeptional example of a boxer, who could brilliantly use his size. This made Vitali a very uncomfortable opponent for anybody and there was no such case, when Klitschko was outboxed. Lewis also had troubles with him, but here everything wasn't that simple.

Actually, I believe, Lewis in his top conditions was able to outbox anybody including Vitali. It's well-known, that Lewis had some dedication problems and he had to pay for that in the ring sometimes. Lennox obviously wasn't fit for Klitschko. First of all, Vitali was a substitute and, secondly, he hadn't proved to be real deal on that moment. So Lewis came out underestimating Klitschko, visibly out of shape, scoring his highest weight, as I remember, and in addition to everything he had a solid lay-off. On the one hand, we should give Vitali a credit for fighting favoured Lewis so well, but, on the other hand, we should take into account Lewis' conditions.

It's also known, that Lewis could learn on the mistakes. He improved after McCall loss, he brutally avanged Rahman loss instantly. We can assume, Lewis could be prepared for Klitschko well in the rematch. The thing is, in this particular case an age could have been a factor. However, everyone handle age in different ways and Lewis in his late thirties didn't look significantly declining. He looked great in the Rahman rematch, he looked great against Tyson, so in Klitschko fight there were more signs of bad praparation, than aging and declining from Lewis.

All in all, I believe, Lewis had some assets left. For about a couple of fights probably. So, I guess, he could have been prepared for Vitali in the rematch. And being fit Lennox was able to outbox Klitschko. However, it's impossible to know such things for sure, that's why I don't blame Lewis for retiring instead. Lewis had already proved everything before.

[BoxBuzz]

Though Lewis won the contest....he seemed to me to be losing the fight. I would think that the odds of that happening twice would be slim. Vitali was on the rise...and Lewis....not so much. I would think the odds would be a K bro win.

[Tuan_Jim]

Manny Steward was desperate for the rematch. In one of the HBO shows late 03/early 04 he's sat with Lewis and telling the interviewer that a properly prepared Lewis in a rematch will take out Klitschko in "12 minutes".

[Bodyshot3]

Lennox did had a useful habit of getting things right "second time round" in his career......

.........the Rahman result was well and truly corrected, Holyfield was beaten (again) but this time even more soundly without the judges allowed to play silly buggers and McCall (who should never have been allowed to box) was also seen off.

But against Vitali again and so late on for Lennox?

[Boxing Writer]

Lennox did had a useful habit of getting things right "second time round" in his career......

.........the Rahman result was well and truly corrected, Holyfield was beaten (again) but this time even more soundly without the judges allowed to play silly buggers and McCall (who should never have been allowed to box) was also seen off.

But against Vitali again and so late on for Lennox?

LOOOOOOOOOL

Even Lennox himself always says that rematch was MUCH tougher for him than the first fight

[oogiebe]

Manny Steward was desperate for the rematch. In one of the HBO shows late 03/early 04 he's sat with Lewis and telling the interviewer that a properly prepared Lewis in a rematch will take out Klitschko in "12 minutes".

IDK about 12 minutes, but I agree with the general message here

[ewenhay]

Difficult to call this one. Lewis was on the slide but by all accounts hadn't trained seriously and made mistakes around the altitude timing so it's hard to say how much of the performance was just down to poor preparation.

A prime Lewis beats a prime V Klitschko all day long but the different trajectories would have made the rematch difficult to call at that stage. 50/50 I'd say.

[Caractacus]

IMOP Vitali Klitschko would have creamed Lennox Lewis in a rematch,
because he was beating him in the first one,before that freak cut happened.
A Victory for "Dr. Ironfist".

[Tuan_Jim]

Lennox did had a useful habit of getting things right "second time round" in his career......

.........the Rahman result was well and truly corrected, Holyfield was beaten (again) but this time even more soundly without the judges allowed to play silly buggers and McCall (who should never have been allowed to box) was also seen off.

But against Vitali again and so late on for Lennox?

LOOOOOOOOOL

Even Lennox himself always says that rematch was MUCH tougher for him than the first fight

A lot of the writers ringside scored the fight for Holyfield. That was a hard, hard fight for Lewis.

[Controversial]

Lewis would've won the rematch, he would've prepared better and fought smarter.

[Boxing Writer]

Lennox did had a useful habit of getting things right "second time round" in his career......

.........the Rahman result was well and truly corrected, Holyfield was beaten (again) but this time even more soundly without the judges allowed to play silly buggers and McCall (who should never have been allowed to box) was also seen off.

But against Vitali again and so late on for Lennox?

LOOOOOOOOOL

Even Lennox himself always says that rematch was MUCH tougher for him than the first fight

A lot of the writers ringside scored the fight for Holyfield. That was a hard, hard fight for Lewis.

Yes, and fighter like Larry Holmes and Roy Jones Jr also had Holyfield winning the rematch. Even Lennox himself said it in one of his interviews a couple of years ago that he wouldn't complain if the results of his two fights against Holyfield were switched - UD win for him in the first fight and draw in the rematch. I think though that Holyfield was the only one opponent in Lewis' career that could give him much tougher fight in the rematch than in the first fight. I think Lewis would beat Mercer much more convincingly (something like 97-93) in the rematch, and we know what happened in his rematches against Rahman and McCall (of course, it has to be noted that McCall wasn't at his best in rematch). I think Vitali would most likely beat Lennox in the rematch, but it wasn't a prime Lennox Lewis. I think prime Lennox Lewis would most likely stop Vitali on cuts while winning the fight on judges scorecards with the same margin as Vitali did in their actual fight. In that case nobody would call it a controversial victory.

[ewenhay]

I think Lewis saw the writing was on the wall and he was slipping. He dug out the win and got out of the sport on his terms after a long career. Which I think is fair enough.

[wouter]

Lewis would have beaten Klitschko in the 1st fight, cut or no cut. Klitschko was leading in the fight because of a fast start, but was fading fast.

[Boxing Writer]

Lewis would have beaten Klitschko in the 1st fight, cut or no cut. Klitschko was leading in the fight because of a fast start, but was fading fast.

No, it was Lewis who was tired more. He collapsed on his stool like a sack of potatoes after round 6. He gave it everything in rounds 3 to 6 becuase he knew he needed to stop Vitali to win that fight.

[Caractacus]

Lewis would have beaten Klitschko in the 1st fight, cut or no cut. Klitschko was leading in the fight because of a fast start, but was fading fast.

He was a bit hesitent yes,but that was because he had a slashing cut above his eye from a freak punch and blood streaming into his eyes from it.

[Noxy]

I reckon a rematch would have been a more cagey affair after the way the first one went. As to who would have won. It’s a tough one, Vitali at a push as Lennox had peaked by then.

I remember when the fight got made at short notice. I had a feeling it was going to be a good scrap.

[Caractacus]

check out Lennox Lewis's reply to Vitali Klitschko when he asked about a re-match at about 28:00 of this clip.
( As far as the reply,it didn't appear to sound particularly convincing to me from the tone in the voice if you were to arsk me anyway)

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

- Teensy questions ain't Big?

I'd have gladly stepped in to get whooped for what HBO was offering.

To go back on your word on the rematch for a kings ransom and then retire days before WBC strippage is a YYYYYUGE loss of confidence, from lion to lamb.

Be clear Lewis started light training under Manny 3 months before + a full 8 week training camp, so out of shape don't cut it any more than the Rahman loss.

That was literally a walk in the park slow beatdown on a cowering Rahman. He just got complacent for a 10 count.

Same deal with McCall, Lewis just being lazy, and no, it was a legit stoppage. When 250 lbs barely beats the count to stumble into the ref looking like Bambi in headlights, well, that's all folks.

Good that Brits can create a mythology around yer boy, but give me Hercules or Thor any day for some lusty fights.

[ElJefe]

As others have said, Lewis was a smart fighter who did well in rematches. I think the 'trouble' Holyfield gave him in the rematch is over-exaggerated as a response to the backlash about the robbery in the first fight. People go too far the other way. Lewis won BOTH fights by at least a few rounds.

I also think that Lewis' lacklustre start against Vitali may have been as much mental as physical. I'm not so sure that he came in in bad shape, more that with Vitali being a replacement, Lewis may have overlooked him. I don't think that's me being a Lewis fan boy, I think a slow start against a short notice opponent without a huge reputation before waking up after a few rounds can logically be attributed as a mental issue. Lewis' laidback nature meant that the vibe of laziness/complacency is one that he gave off multiple times. I think the first Vitali fight is an example of it, but I think a switched on Lewis would win the rematch. That's if he was still close enough to his physical prime of course, as a prime Lewis would be far too skilled for any version of Vitali imo.

[jamamb]

how does that work out, ppl were more generous to holy in the rematch because they thought lennox was robbed hard in the first fight? or you think there was public backlash and frustration that the first fight was called a robbery?

[ewenhay]

how does that work out, ppl were more generous to holy in the rematch because they thought lennox was robbed hard in the first fight? or you think there was public backlash and frustration that the first fight was called a robbery?

I think it's because the first fight was scored as a draw and the second fight was closer leading some people to draw the incorrect conclusion that Holyfield should have got the verdict in the second fight. I think the judging in the second fight was slightly too generous to Lewis which adds to those feelings.

I agree with those who think Lewis won both fights but if the first fight had been awarded to Lewis and the second fight declared a draw I dont think there would have been any huge outcry

[Tuan_Jim]

As others have said, Lewis was a smart fighter who did well in rematches. I think the 'trouble' Holyfield gave him in the rematch is over-exaggerated as a response to the backlash about the robbery in the first fight. People go too far the other way. Lewis won BOTH fights by at least a few rounds.

No, the complaint in the rematch was that the judges had arrived with filled out scorecards gifting it to Lewis to make up for the controversy of the draw in the first fight. Holyfield was (unfairly) tainted by Eugenia Williams and Don King, and he was a Showtime fighter boxing on HBO, so there was absolutely no sentiment favouring him before the fight--it was his performance in the ring, beating Lewis at the age of 37, that earned him praise.

[HomicideHenry]

The desire was simply not there anymore for Lennox Lewis. When he saw Klitschko flatten Kirk Johnson in two rounds, and saying, "Lennox I know you are watching and I want my rematch!", I think he realized two things:

#1- It'd of taken a helluva lot of effort to get into the kind of shape and mindset to defeat a bigger, younger, hungrier athlete who was riding high on confidence and was a great tactician in his own right.

#2- That Lewis knew that the division was "in good hands" if he walked away because Lewis recognized the greatness of potential that Klitschko had.

Because of those factors, he snubbed the $45 Million dollar offer for the rematch and said he had nothing left to prove. Maybe so, but it was every bit a strategic move as it was anything else. Klitschko was dangerous and Lewis knew that.