By Dan Ambrose: Former heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KO’s) picks WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (41-2, 38 KO’s) as the better of the Klitschko brothers. Lewis, 45, may have a bias because he previously fought Vitali in the past, beating him by a 6th round stoppage in June 2003, in a fight that Lewis was losing and struggling badly in at the time the fight was stopped due to a series of cuts Vitali has suffered.

Although Vitali attempted to get a rematch, Lewis said no and retired. Lewis now thinks that Vitali is better than his brother Wladimir Klitschko, the IBF/WBO heavyweight champion.

This is what Lewis had to say on the Klitschkos: “Well, obviously the older one [Vitali] is always the better one, I say. Plus, he’s the most awkward in my books. He’s very long and lanky, and you know he uses that long reach and his height very well. He also throws a good combination punching, and he knows how to keep you off balance, so definitely Vitali.”

Wladimir is only one inch shorter than Vitali at 6’7″, so they’re both about the same height. What makes Vitali the better fighter is his great chin. He can take a much better shot compared to Wladimir, and because of that he’s willing to take a lot more chances in his fights. He’s also a lot more relaxed while under attack. He doesn’t stress out when his opponent is trying hard to beat him. Wladimir has sometimes lost his cool when getting pressured by Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster, Samuel Peter and Ross Purity. Wladimir lost to Purity, Sanders and Brewster. Vitali beat Sanders and Purity, and stayed calm while being attacked hard by both of those fighters and took their occasional big shots without any problems.

On Saturday night, Vitali will be defending his WBC title against unbeaten Odlanier Solis (17-0, 12 KO’s) at the Lanxess-Arena, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Vitali is a huge favorite to beat the 6’1″ Solis, who has a history of weight problems since he turned pro in 2007