Vitali Still Wants Fight With Lewis
January 14th, 2009
By Eric Thomas: Believe it or not, Vitali Klitschko (36-2, 35 KOs) still is longing for a bout with former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in the future. After now almost six years since Vitali was stopped in the 6th round by Lewis in 2003, Klitschko is still seeking revenge against him. In a recent interview, Vitali had this to say about Lewis: “With Lewis, as usually happens, there is bargaining. One side, in this case Lewis, asks for the maximum amount but we referred to the minimum. Ideally, we’d find a compromise somewhere in the middle.”
As much as Vitali wants another bout with Lewis, the chances of it happening are very remote at this time. At 43, rich and gainfully employed as an analyst for HBO Sports, it’s highly unlikely that Lewis would see any appeal in making a comeback and having to take off a lot of weight just to prove himself once again against Vitali.
Vitali seems to be persisting in his pursuit of a rematch with Lewis despite the fact that it’s become almost a joke among many Internet websites and forums. What it does indicate is that due to the absence of stars in the heavyweight division, it causes a star like Vitali to have to resort to looking back in the past for fighters to mix it up with instead of seeking out the many little known, talent poor fighters that inhabit the heavyweight division at this time.
With so few appealing fighters to take on, both Klitschko brothers latched onto former cruiserweight champion David Haye when he recently moved up to the heavyweight division challenging both brothers. Like too big sharks fighting over a small minnow, the two Klitschko brothers have gone in circles deciding which one would get the chance to fight Haye.
Finally, it seems that Wladimir will be getting the chance due to Vitali having to face his WBC mandatory challenger Juan Carlos Gomez on March 21st. However, you can bet that Vitali will be waiting in the wings for a chance to seek out revenge if Wladimir is somehow beaten by the fast and powerful British fighter.
As for Lewis, I suppose Vitali will continue calling him out from time to time for the remainder of his career. It’s something that he probably realizes is a long shot at best, but there’s always a chance if somehow Lewis gets bored with his current job. Vitali could probably help himself if he agreed to some small changes for the fight, like letting Lewis fight with headgear on and having Vitali wear oversized gloves, as well as limiting the rounds to six.
Tags: 11 Responses to “Vitali Still Wants Fight With Lewis”
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I actually believe Lewis should have given him another shot nobody likes a fight to finish on cuts. He chose not to, read into that what you like but now its history. Leave it there.
No, he fought him and won…… If Lewis did stop ‘ducking Vitali’ and come out of retirement would anyone really give Vitali any more respect for beating a 43 year old who hasn’t fought in five years?
He ducked Vitali,plain and simple.
But A-Force i do listen to all their opinions.Thats why read them.I just don’t agree with them.And i have no problem with ukandsodoffs posts.But the fact remains that Lewis is and was the only real competition for the bros especially Vitali.And the fact that Lewis won the fight and got boo’s out of the ring,adds to Vitali’s dispear.As far as Lewis’s age?Lewis was around the same age as Vitali now.And you guys have no problem with Haye calling out Vitali.The differance is Vitali is gonna hammer Hayes face in and not retire.
ukansodoff – You really do speak alot of sense.. With every post you do you are never bias and always talk facts
Adam – LOL mate you know I think your great and you will never get stick off me like you do loads of people on here! But jesus man you are so so bias all the time lol!! You never listen to anybodys opinions.. Gotta admit though your posts are the funniest on here by a mile!! And the abuse you get makes me laugh even more lol
I would voice my opinion on this but I more or less agree with ukansodoff so there is nothing more to say really.. I dont think there is any denying that Lewis was coming back into the fight (although Adam I am sure you wont agree lol) My opinon is Lewis would have won if it went the distance but we will never know
In fact Smokin Joe Frazier is probably in need of the cash, he’s quite sprightly for a 65 year old. Maybe Vitali could tempt him out of retirement for a match, a win would surely enhance his legacy.
lmao Vitali is trying to live out the storyline of Rocky Balboa.
Adam, who won that fight? Did the ref have any option but to stop the fight due to the ridiculous cut over Vitali’s eye? Does it count anywhere in the record books who was winning on points if a fight is stopped?
Vitali needs to get over the fact he lost, you need to get over the fact he lost.
All you american ‘experts’ keep knocking Calzaghe for beating a 43 year old B-Hop yet I suspect you would hail Vitali if he did the same to a now 43 year old Lewis.
Fact is Lewis should stay retired, at 43 he can’t beat Vitali, he isn’t hungry because he acomplished everything possible and unlike B-Hop he has been reired for 5 years and hasn’t kept himself in shape.
Well i think it helps Vitali when he looks back at the tape of his fight with Lewis and see’s a crowd Boo Lewis out of the ring when they announced the decision.That with the fact that Lewis retired instead of wanting another whoopin helps Vitali’s pschy.But your right in the sense that Lewis running for the hills and eluding Vitali will forever be burnt in his mind.
Its such a shame, everybody has their views on how the fight was going and how it would end. Its always the crappest way to end a fight. It really tugs at Vitali what could of been.
But he needs to realise its sometihng that got away from himand EVEN IF he talked Lewis out of retirement AND beat him he wouldnt get half the credit he deserves and even though the win would be for his own gratification and not opinionists like us hed know the truth himself.
Hes a world champ, thankfully a high quality one in this time of heavyweight rubbish and has people out there wanting to test themselves and take his title just as he once did with Lewis. He should focus on that and not something that just didnt happen years ago.
Ummmmmmmmm!!!No deano 71.It’s not a coincidence that Lewis retired after he took the beating in the Vitali fight.There was a new sheriff in town and Lewis knew his time had come.He had 2 options.Take the fight and get creamed and hand the torch,or retire without the embaressment and pass the torch.When you go into a fight like Lewis did,and you hit someone as hard as you can and they dont move, and they hit back just as hard and you do move.It ruins your self asteem.So Lewis took the low road and opted for retirement.
for christ’s sake vitali get a grip the reason lewis wont come out of retirement is because he’s finished with boxing,he’s too old and his skills have eroded which was evident when they last met.lets think back!!!lewis was supposed to have his swan song fight against chris”i couldn’t punch myself out of a wet paper bag byrd.he didnt train hard and byrd pulled out injured he then took on vitali and even giving one of his poorest displays ever cuts him too ribbons and wins.lewis aint thick when he said over 4 yrs ago he’s retired he means it!!!!