21 years ago this month, Lennox Lewis hung up the gloves for good. The three-time world heavyweight champion called time on a 44-bout career with 41 wins and just two losses, both of which he avenged in rematches.
Lewis is widely considered one of, if not the, best heavyweight in the history of the sport. A 6 ft 5 in athletic fighter with lights out power backed by stellar fundamentals.
‘The Lion’ stepped through the ropes with the likes of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Hasim Rahman and Ray Mercer, and retired following a win over the feared Vitali Klitschko.
In that final fight, Lewis won by stoppage in the sixth after inflicting a serious cut above the eye of the Ukrainian, pouring cold water on his impressive start.
20 years to the day, Klitschko’s promoter Tom Loeffler looked back on the bout on social media, saying Lewis was ‘fading fast’ and one round away from being stopped himself.
“One of the best heavyweight championship fights in the modern era. Vitali was winning on all 3 scorecards 4 rounds to 2 going into the 7th round. Lennox landed his best punch with a monster uppercut in the 6th round with no effect, at the end of the 6th he was mentally and physically exhausted.
Watch how he collapsed on his chair in the corner at the end of the 6th round realizing he can’t hurt Vitali. Vitali’s cut was bad, but the Cutman always was able to control it after each round.
If it went one more round, Vitali would have won by KO. You don’t stop a Heavyweight World Championship Fight when the boxer is winning under those circumstances. Lennox realised he wouldn’t win the rematch and decided to retire and vacate the WBC title, which Vitali won in his next fight.”
Lewis responded, saying:
“You know nothing about boxing, obviously.”
One of the best heavyweight championship fights in the modern era. Vitali was winning on all 3 scorecards 4 rounds to 2 going into the 7th round. Lennox landed his best punch with a monster uppercut in the 6th round with no effect, at the end of the 6th he was mentally and… https://t.co/COoETRB0aG
— Tom Loeffler (@TomLoeffler1) June 22, 2024
Whilst Lewis walked away from the sport, Klitschko would stick around and win the WBC Heavyweight Title two fights later. He defended it eleven times before retiring.
