Klitschko-Lewis: An Unbiased Analysis of the So-Called War at Staples

By Fred De La Riva

22.06 - I wasn't going to write anything about this fight. I only watched it due to my overwhelming curiosity as to how the big Ukranian would stand up to the pressure Lewis would undoubtedly put on him. You see, I've never been impressed with either fighter. Lewis on one hand has always been a timid warrior. Some fighters are just born that way. He usually wins a fight with his overwhelming jab and seals the deal with his powerful right. He is predictable to the end. Vitali, possessing a powerful right of his own, is as robotic and as one-dimensional as they come. Nothing special in my opinion.

With that said and with all due respect to both fighters, this fight will not go down in the history of this division. Now the Lewis and Klitschko fans can cry "foul" all they want, but tonight's fight wasn't Lyle/Foreman they were claiming this fight was. To compare this fight with the Lyle/Foreman fight , not only shows ignorance of the sport, but also disrespects the tremendous effort both Lyle and Foreman gave the night they fought.. It wasn't even close.

On one side you had an aging, unmotivated and out of shape champion. On the other, you had an untested European fighter with a chip on his shoulder. You see Vitali, has had a cloud over him, since he gave up against Byrd. Yes Klitschko fans, he gave up. There's no shame in it. Better skilled fighters, have done so. Since then, Vitali has had to fight the image of being a quitter. And what better way to do it than against the Heavyweight champion of the world.

Then there was Lewis. Already planning his induction into the Hall of Fame, the champion took the Ukranian lightly and from the look his soft belly, he was also taking Kirk Johnson lightly. Before the end of the first round, Lewis was already sucking wind due to his carrying an extra 15 lbs from his optimal weight. A consistent attack from the 6'8" Vitali didn't help much either. At this stage of his career, it takes Lewis a bit longer to warm up and Klitschko was not about to let him do so. Lewis's reflexes weren't able to react to Vitali's left jab either. He seemed a bit perplexed and lost. With Vitali raining down punches on him, Lewis was suddenly awakened by a jolting shot from the challenger. He wasn't hurt as the HBO commentary implied, but he as definitely stunned.

And then the usual "Heavyweight Waltz" began. For those unfamiliar with the term, it's the usual heavyweight strategy in which the fighters punch and then they clutch. This "dance" is the typical scenario for most heavyweight fights and this fight was no exception. Every now and then both fighter swung for the fences and missed often. The punches were thrown from awkward angles, especially Lewis who never did figure out how to counter Klitschko jab. Lewis looked amateurish and was extremely tired, but he proved to be the stronger fighter and his punches did the more damage. Sorry Klitschko fans, but Vitali was never able to seriously hurt Lewis. In fact, Lewis took the punches quite well. Lewis, on the other hand put Vitali's face through the meat grinder.

The cut above the Ukrainian's eyes was one of the worst I have ever seen. For the fight to go as long as it did was an unpleasant surprise, as a fighter's career stood in the balance. Vitali's after fight comments were comical as he claimed that Lewis never hurt him. His face looked like he had been hit with a bat. His left eye was practically demolished. He had a cut under his left cheek and his upper lip was swollen. In fact, he was swallowing blood as he spoke to Larry Merchant.

As the fight was stopped at the end of the 6th round, Vitali had to be restrained from going after Lewis. He was upset at the officials for stopping the fight. In fact he should have been upset with himself for not systematically breaking down Lennox with a controlled body attack. He had his chance, but he blew it. The judges had the fight four to two in favor of Klitschko. I had it even, with Lewis coming on strong. Lewis claimed he had just had the 248 lbsVitali for lunch. Sorry fella. You had maybe 248 lbs of hamburger for lunch, but not Vitali.

In the end the fight cemented what knowledgeable fans already knew. Vitali can only fight one way and cannot adjust and Lennox two biggest enemies are "father time" and over confidence. The Klitschko fans will claim that he is now the true champ. The Lewis fans will scream "scoreboard" The rest of us will sit back and watch and maybe even chuckle at the joke this once proud division has become.

Feel free to contact the author at delariva69@sbcglobal.net