RingSide Report

World News, Social Issues, Politics, Entertainment and Sports

Lennox Lewis: The Klitschko’s Lucky Break

By Donald Stewart

In June of 2003, Lennox Lewis, 41-2-1, 41 KO’s, stepped into the ring and fought Vitali Klitschko and beat him. After six rounds, Vitali required sixty stitches. Awarded the tie by TKO, Lewis was behind on every scorecard. It was a split eye but no split decision.

There was a hunger for a rematch everywhere apart from Lennox Lewis. His next step was to retire from the ring. With his retirement came the dominance of the Heavyweight division by the Klitschkos. The division began to suffer from a genuine lack of contenders.

Over the years there have been many who have called for Lewis to return as they feel he would add some genuine excitement to the ring. His last fight against Vitali was in his own words, at his worst. It was at his heaviest and since he was losing before it was stopped perhaps he was also at his luckiest?

There is no way that Lewis will return to the ring.

As late as December 2010, in a television interview, he discounted any chance of fighting again. Whilst he could understand and even admire those older fighters who have come back to fight he was certainly not envious of their chosen pathway.

Could Lewis return and take the Klitschkos? Could he have managed to add Wladimir to Vitali’s scalp? Could he have won the rematch?

OK we have only opinion to inform the guess work and the guess work is more opinionated than scientific but it’s fun. Lewis fought and beat some notable heavyweights. As my RSR colleague Brian Wilbur counts down the top 100 heavyweights in a fascinating series, there are quite a few already noted who fought and lost to Lewis. Those against whom he lost he avenged namely Hasim Rahman and Oliver McCall. Add to those the wins against Mike Tyson, Tyrell Biggs, Evander Holyfield, David Tua and Frans Botha and none could argue – though they will – that Lewis was a true champion.

Going in against Klitschko – the Vitali variety – it was agreed that this was going to be a real test. Vitali had Lewis on the ropes in the first two rounds and, had he pressed his advantage Lewis might have retired from the ring with a loss in his last fight but Lewis fought back.

He showed the style and class that had been evident throughout his career. Lennox Lewis entered the ring to win. When he didn’t he got himself off the floor, dusted himself down and got himself a rematch.

There is no doubt that, had his fight with Vitali continued Lewis would have won it. As for a rematch, there is a body of evidence that suggests Lewis’ desire was waning. His legacy had to be assured by beating Tyson and having done that the need and the greed to fight was lessened. He retired at the right time. I believe that Vitali would have given him a very different fight the second time round and it could have been costly to our view of such a true champion.

Wladimir has a different style to his brother. It would have been easier for Lennox to have fought Wladimir and I believe Wladimir’s predictable tactics would have been meat and drink to Lewis. He would have eaten him all up! With two victories against the Klitschkos, the legacy of Lennox Lewis would have straddled his era and the one to come. We would have been in the presence of something very different to the one we see now.

For many Lewis was the real deal. He united the Heavyweight division and provided us with some exciting contests. When the last all British heavyweight fight – Audley Harrison vs. David Haye – happened in the UK Lewis was brought on to introduce and promote the fight. His welcome was warm. He was very nervous about the reaction of the fans.

Lewis beat up our national treasure – Frank Bruno. Add to that the fact that whilst Lewis fought under the Union Flag as a British Boxer he won the Olympic Gold with the Maple Leaf of Canada wrapped around him. It took him a while to win British fans over and for some there will always be a doubt over whether his allegiances were ever anything more than convenience. It means that analysis comes with bias. If you want patriots you want loyalty!

It is, however, completely unfounded. Lewis is as British as a Pork Pie. Born in West Ham to Jamaican parents he moved to Canada when he was 12 and his representation of his new homeland came because he advanced up the amateur ranks there rather than in the UK.

So to answer where we came in… I believe that Lennox Lewis would have won the fight had it not been stopped against Vitali. He would have beaten Wladimir. At the time he would have struggled in a rematch against Vitali because his desire was no longer there and as for coming back? Lewis’ skill as a boxer was better than either Klitschko but his life in LA will never see him return to prove us right or wrong.

Unless of course, you think differently….

Advertise Now On RSR

Purchase Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime

Pre-Order the Horror Thriller FAMILY SECRET Now!

Leave a Reply