I agree. What I take issue with is Vitali huggers using this fight to bolster Vitali's credentials. I do think Vitali put forth a good effort, but that was a clearly off-his-game Lewis in the ring that night and Vitali still lost anyway.
The uppercut was the only meaningful punch for Lewis in the 6th. And that was after a hard punch by Vitali. But again, we are talking about IF the eye didnt get cut. I think we keep forgetting this important part
This is a take I never really understood. Yes, Vitali hit Lewis hard and Lewis didn't go anywhere, but that does not mean he would have stopped punching nor that Lewis would have taken it all night. Lewis also hit Tyson with everything for five rounds and Tyson didn't go anywhere. So Lewis hit him three rounds more and Tyson went. It was not like it had been one-sided after four rounds. That being said, this is impossible to know and doesn't matter. Lewis won fair but not in a way which would prove who would win the rematch
It alway amuses me the way people talk about cut as though they somehow dont count. Might as well ask what would happen if they fought standing on the spot, not permitted to move from one foot square, or what would happen if they fought only throwing left hands. Its just as arbitrary as asking what happens if theres no cut. Cuts happen, they are as legit as KOs and decisions. The fight didnt end because of some freak accident. It ended because Klitschko has zero head movement, among other limitations masked by his tepid opposition.
Come on, you know the difference. Even though the win is legit, if a fighter wins on cuts, it is difficult to make a pick in a rematch based on that since cuts don't happen that often. If Lewis had KOed Vitali with the same punch that now cut him (which didn't even land properly btw) it would be completely different.
You miss the point --- that being, the cut occurred because of Klitschkos limitations, not because of some freak outcome. Lewis lands the same shots in a return fight and wins by virtue of that, one way or another. Klitschko simply isnt as good as many believe, and more fights against similarly-capable rivals would bear this out.
Disagreed. Think of Hagler-Hearns. The cut that Hagler received would have made many refs/doctors to stop the fight, in fact it was pretty much a 50:50 situation. Thus, if these two fought ten times, Hearns would always cut Hagler because of Hagler's limitations and they would end 5-5 with the series, being equally good, right?
Vitali was on queer street for the last 20 seconds of the round, falling into Lennox like a drunken fool.
Imo Lewis was tired at the end of the 6th round, but was landing the consistently better shots in rounds 5 and 6. Imo Lewis would have beaten Vitali on points comfortably.
This was a good fight, and I am really dissapointed that there are so many fans willing to give Lewis a pass on not taking this rematch. The whole "Lewis didn't train" bullshit is also tired. NEITHER ONE OF THEM TRAINED FOR THE OTHER. I hate how people act like Vitali had some advantage because of that. I also find it amusing how much people used to HATE Lewis when he was active. It's just funny how a few years can change people opinions so much.
Answering the OP: If there was no cut then I'd favor Klit. Lewis blew his load in that 6th round. There is no way he had 6 more rounds in him. He would've eventually fallen from exhaustion if not the punches. People say Lewis took Klits best shots and was still there. Klit also took Lewis's best shots and was also still there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhIRC9Jm-94&feature=related If you can't see the right hand body shot followed directly with a right hand the temple, with exactly 18 seconds left, that immediately forces Vitali to look up and then fall into Lewis, forcing LL into the corner, then I don't know what to tell you. The tape is clear as day.
Please. It's not like Lewis fought someone else instead. He was getting old, gaining weight and losing motivation. He went out on top. Credit where it's due Z.
Going out on top would mean that he dominated the opposition and had no clear challengers which lead him to retirement. Instead he was pushed to his brink in his final fight, a fight that demanded an immediate rematch. Klit wanted the rematch, the public wanted it, and the network he fought for wanted it. Instead he chose to retire. That is not going out on top. That is going out with an asterisk. Only groupies argue otherwise.