We all remember the savage, bloody, and ultimately controversial Lennox Lewis-Vitali Klitschko fight/slugfest/war. At least fight fans of a certain age remember it. No, the fight didn’t take place all that long ago – June 21st of 2003 – but younger boxing fans may not remember it as it happened.
What happened was Klitschko, a late sub for an injured Kirk Johnson, stepped in at roughly 12-day’s notice, and he proceeded to give heavyweight king Lewis an abundance of trouble. Also, it was a great action fight, with plenty of hefty trading, this having the fans inside The Staples Center in Los Angeles coming out with plenty of ‘oohs,’ and ‘aaahs’ as the bombs landed in plentiful fashion.
In the fight, won by Lewis via 6th round TKO, Vitali showed he had a heck of a great chin, his beard absorbing some hellacious uppercuts from the champ. While Lennox showed that, even when he was not in the best condition and was overweight, he could suck it up and grind out a win.
That said, Lennox was viewed as lucky for winning on cuts the way he did. Had Klitschko’s face not been torn to shreds, the fight would not have been stopped, and Lewis, gasping and seemingly running on empty, may not have been able to last another six rounds. Klitschko, who was absolutely fuming when the fight was stopped, this despite the fact that half of his face was ruined, was ahead on all three cards at the time of the ending.
There would have to be a rematch. But there wasn’t one. For years after, Vitali continued to call for a return go at Lewis, and “Dr. Iron Fist” reminded Lewis that he had in fact verbally promised him a rematch. To this day, fans wonder what might have happened in a sequel, while sterner critics say the fact that Lewis didn’t prove to be a man of his word stains his otherwise most impressive ring resume.
Some things that we may have forgotten about that date in heavyweight history are these:
Prior to the fight, Lewis was seriously excited about a possible fight with Roy Jones Junior. Jones, who had beaten John Ruiz to win a portion of the heavyweight crown that March, was contemplating a shot at Lennox. How on earth would that fight have gone had it taken place?
George Foreman, the retired two-time heavyweight king who now worked for HBO, was said to have been seriously thinking about launching yet another comeback if Klitschko were to beat Lewis. Foreman, aged 54 at the time, had not long since given some thought about coming back to fight David Tua. Thankfully, George’s wife talked him out of the Tua fight. While Lennox was not dethroned by Vitali, so Foreman remained retired.
Indeed there were a few questions in the air in LA on this night 22 years ago. All of them about the heavyweight division.
