Was Lennox Lewis’ April Fools joke a trial balloon?

By Boxing News - 04/03/2012 - Comments

Image: Was Lennox Lewis’ April Fools joke a trial balloon?By John F. McKenna (Mcjack): Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KO’s) created a buzz when he went to his Twitter account to announce that he was coming out of a nine year retirement to face World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (44-2, 40 KO’s). The rematch between Lewis and “Dr. Ironfist” was to take place in Hamburg, Germany on September 29. The announcement quickly went viral with fans all over the world long anticipating such a rematch.

The jubilation that some fans exhibited however, was short lived when it was revealed that the whole thing was Lennox’s way of playing a cruel April Fools day joke on boxing fans. Or was it really a joke that Lewis was playing?

Lennox for several years now has gone out of his way to take swipes at Vitali Klitschko. In Vitali’s match against former Olympic Gold medalist Odlanier Solis (17-1, 12 KO’s) in March of 2011 Lewis was one of the TV analysts for EPIX. When asked whether or not Klitschko’s nickname “Dr. Ironfist” was appropriate, Lennox responded negatively because as he put it Vtiali never knocks anyone out in the early rounds. Klitschko immediately took Solis out in the first round when he caught Odlanier high on the temple causing him to lose his footing and crash to the canvas. Solis of course suffered an injury when he fell, but the fact remains that he was stunned by Klitschko’s punch.

Over the past several weeks Lewis has repeatedly made comments to the press to the effect that Vitali is ripe for the picking. In some instances Lennox appears to be obsessing over the fighter who won the fans over at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in June 2003.
Hardly a week goes by when you do not see an article in which Lewis slams Klitschko. In their match in 2003 Klitschko impressed the boxing world when he proved his mettle against the vastly more experienced Lewis. Vitali was ahead four rounds to two when the fight had to be stopped due to a horrific cut over his left eye.

At the time of the stoppage Lewis promised Klitschko a rematch. But the promised rematch never came to pass and Lennox chose instead to retire. Obviously what happened at the Staples Centers back in 2003 has had a huge impact on Lewis as he continues to obsess about Klitschko nine years after the fact. The demons of unfinished business still haunt Lewis.

Based on Lennox’s most recent comments it is apparent that he has toyed with the idea of coming back and putting the demon of Vitali Klitschko to rest. It is a huge demon to be sure, but it is a demon that will not rest and won’t go away. When Lewis posted on his Twitter account that he was coming back he may have been putting out a trial balloon to gauge reaction in the boxing world. Only time will tell whether or not Lennox takes the next big step back into the ring.



Comments are closed.