Lewis does indeed retire **update**

[Paranoid Rattlesnake]

bbc.co.uk

World heavywieght champion Lennox Lewis is ready to announce his retirement on Friday, reports BBC Radio Five Live.


The 38-year-old Briton has not fought since June last year, when he stopped Vitali Klitschko.

He has been under pressure to decide on his future and the WBC set Lewis a deadline of 1 March to confirm a rematch with the Ukrainian.

Sources in the United States claim Lewis has decided to end his 14-year career after 44 fights. Lewis is expected to hold a press conference in London on Friday. Duke McKenzie, a former world champion at three weights, told Five Live: "This news hasn't come as a great surprise to the boxing fraternity.



"Lennox has earnt a hell of a lot of money from boxing and he doesn't have anything more to prove to anyone now and it is the right decision.

"He had nothing to gain from a rematch and everything to lose.

"He's beaten everybody that's been worth beating in that division - Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, David Tua to name but a few. "Everyone close to Lennox has urged him to retire and I, as a Lennox Lewis fan, am certainly glad he has decided to do just that." <!-- E BO -->

[Wengerland]

I'd prefer to see him face Klitschko one more time,to prove that he can beat him following the controversy of the last fight.

[Arashi Kage]

I'd prefer to see him face Klitschko one more time,to prove that he can beat him following the controversy of the last fight.

:y: Same here. If you're the champ, go out fighting; Klitschko deserves a rematch.

[Heyman]

Lennox Lewis (in his prime) wouldn't last 3 rounds with Mike Tyson (in Tyson's early 90's prime).

Lennox Lewis is a clear "notch" below the likes of Mike Tyson, Mohammad Ali, Joe Fraizer, and Sugar Rey Leonard.

[Paranoid Rattlesnake]

Lennox Lewis (in his prime) wouldn't last 3 rounds with Mike Tyson (in Tyson's early 90's prime).

Lennox Lewis is a clear "notch" below the likes of Mike Tyson, Mohammad Ali, Joe Fraizer, and Sugar Rey Leonard.

Ok then :roll:

[Gertner]

thank god. maybe we'll get a champ that fights more than 1-2 times a year

[Danny Electric]

I think this shows that he was nervous about losing, he just want sto go out on top.
Nothing wrong with that.

[Heyman]

I think this shows that he was nervous about losing, he just want sto go out on top.
Nothing wrong with that.

Lennox Lewis = pussy.

He has to rank as one of the most overrated fighters of all-time IMO.

I'll give some credit however - he was one of the most intelligent fighters.


He is basically boxing's equivalent of Triple H.

[Danny Electric]

Lennox Lewis = pussy.

He has to rank as one of the most overrated fighters of all-time IMO.

I'll give some credit however - he was one of the most intelligent fighters.


He is basically boxing's equivalent of Triple H.

Lol, he may not be one of the best but you can only beat what's out there.

[Wengerland]

Lennox Lewis (in his prime) wouldn't last 3 rounds with Mike Tyson (in Tyson's early 90's prime).

Lennox Lewis is a clear "notch" below the likes of Mike Tyson, Mohammad Ali, Joe Fraizer, and Sugar Rey Leonard.

imo,Lewis has to be considered either equal toor above Tyson and probably judging by their careers on a whole,should be ranked as better than Tyson.If Iron Mike didn't think he was good enough then he'd have quit rather than face Lewis but he didn't and lost.He also lost to Holyfield,whereas Lewis (eventually) beat him.

[Rob]

Heyman you are a di</>ckhead. Did you just read what you wrote? I have been following boxing for 15 years and Mike Tyson ranks in the top 3 of the most overrated boxers I have ever seen. Yes, he can fight but that's about it. He can't box. The only time he ever got in the ring and boxed, he got beat. Simple as that. Holyfiled and Lewis absolutely SCHOOLED him.

As for Klitchsko, I have only ever seen one eye injury in professional sports nearly as bad as Klitchsko got that night and that was this past Saturday at the UFC show with Randy Couture and the fight deservedly got stopped and it wasn't half as bad. Nobody with half a brain can see a guy who has a horrific cut around his eye thich he can not see out of (which later needed 60+ stiches to fix it I might add) and think he should fight on or won a 6 round fight.

As for Lennox Lewis, the only time he lost was when he got careless and cocky. Other than those two nights, he had been an excellent pro and a bonafide legend in the sport. Imagine actually having a world heavyweight champion who carried the title with class and actually defended it around the world! What a shocker! Let me put it to you this way, only two men in the history of heavyweight professional boxing beat everyone that they ever stepped in the ring with - Rocky Mariciano and Lennox Lewis. Argue with that fact. Boxings Triple-H? You don't know wrestling or boxing dude. GET A LIFE PAL!

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I've never talked to an English Person online who WASNT on Lewis's cock hahaha

I dunno, hes a really smart boxer and uses his size to his advantage. Not much for entertainment though, I think Boxing will be better off with a new more exciting champion.

And I think he is going to retire because he knows he almost lost his last match, and he wants to go out "on top"

Tyson in his prime vs Lewis in his prime would be a really good fight. Tyson was nuts back in the day.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I personally think Roy Jones Jr is the best boxer right now, but he is not big enough to compete with the heavyweights.

Its kinda like Shaq in the NBA. He's not the best overall player, but hes huge + he still is very good.

Shaq is good because he actually has skill and isnt just huge like a lot of the other guys close to his size but hes obviously not the most talented basketball player in the league.

[Rob]

Roy Jones Jnr is another over hyped fighter. He is great but he hasn't got a legacy because he has done nothing but pick and chose fights over the past 3 years. Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe are two fights he has to sign for and he never will. Why? Competition.

Oscar De La Hoya will have a legacy because although he lost, they were debatable losses and he never backed down from a challenge. The greats never do.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I think he could beat Bernard Hopkins...Don't really knwo too much about Calzaghe so I dunno

Too bad Lewis won't fight Kilscho again but it probably wouldn't be too smart of a move anyways

So when he retires what happens to the title?

[Rob]

Vacant and Klitchsko and the number #2 contender will fight for it. Probably will be Corrie Sanders which will be interesting since he already KO'd the other brother. Heavyweight division is sh</>it now. Middleweights is where it's at. Never dreamed of such an open division in my life.

[Heyman]

Heyman you are a di</>ckhead.The only time he ever got in the ring and boxed, he got beat. Simple as that. Holyfiled and Lewis absolutely SCHOOLED him.



Rob Harvey,

You have clearly discerned yourself as a homosexual in this thread. Lewis and Holyfield SCHOOLED Tyson.........when he was past his prime. THE MAN WAS IN JAIL DURING HIS PRIME YOU MORON.

Ever watch Tyson vs. Spinks? That's domination. Spinks was sucking Tyson's cock after 90 seconds.

Lewis has beaten everyone eh? I'd like to see him beat Ali in his prime. Or Fraizer. Or Leonard. OR TYSON. Lennox Lewis basically just beat a bunch of jobbers during his careers. The only 'high profile' names that he beat were well past their primes (Holyfield, Tyson, etc.).

And as far as wrestling goes - Me and CyNick know more in our little pinky finger than you do as a whole. You are an overrated douchebag. Now go listen to Dave Meltzer and pretend to be on the 'inside' of the wrestling world. :lol:

[Heyman]

.If Iron Mike didn't think he was good enough then he'd have quit rather than face Lewis but he didn't and lost.He also lost to Holyfield,whereas Lewis (eventually) beat him.

Tyson was well past his prime when he fought Holyfield and Lewis. All of those jail sentences screwed him over.

Watch some tapes of the guy in the early 90's/late 80's. Tyson was in tremendous shape, and was actually one of the most intelligent (and most intense) competitors. His intelligence was actually quite underrated. He knew when to jab and when to go for the stunning blow.


In his later years however, he was out of shape. That's why he no longer had the desire to work........he kept looking for the one-punch.

Against Lewis - the man was heavily medicated just a few days before his fight.

[John la Rock]

Lennox Lewis is GOD

[Paranoid Rattlesnake]

bbc.co.uk

World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has confirmed his retirement from professional boxing.

The 38-year-old Briton has not fought since June last year, when he stopped Vitali Klitschko after a tough fight.

He has been under pressure to decide on his future and the World Boxing Council set him a 1 March deadline to confirm a rematch with the Ukrainian.

His decision means that he is the first reigning heavyweight champion to retire since Rocky Marciano in 1956.

"This is a special day in my life," said Lewis.

"I would like to announce that 21 June 2003 was my last fight as a professional boxer."

The 38-year-old Lewis has fought just twice in the past 26 months, knocking out former undisputed champion Mike Tyson in eight rounds in Memphis in June 2002 and the stopping of Klitschko.

Lewis won the Olympic superheavyweight title for Canada in Seoul in 1988, but returned to Britain, where he was born, to turn pro. He has won 41 of his 44 pro fights.

"When I first started boxing I realised there was no straight road to the world title." he said.

"I realised there were bumps and potholes and curves but there is no straight way to becoming heavyweight champion of the world.

"I learnt on this trip that if you lose that doesn't mean the end of the boxing career.

"It's not easy being heavyweight champion, even harder to keep it and stay at the top.

"If you can't give 110% then you shouldn't do it - I've given 110% in my sport.

"I'm proud to be heavyweight champion."

Contenders for Lewis' crown
Lewis said he was excited by the up-and-coming fighters in the heavyweight division.

"I am looking forward to seeing that next era of boxing - fighters like Audley Harrison and the Klitschkos," he said.

"I'm probably going to wish I was in there.

"It's been great honour to be the standard bearer for boxing in the last decade.

"Let the new era begin."

[Wengerland]

It is pritty dumb,i mean though he goes out as champ it does leave people,like Heyman has said above,that he is a pussy.Personally i'd have rather seen him face Klitchsko again and lose before retiring than not taking the rematch.

I agree with Rob on the whole heavyweight division being poor now,and hopefully Audley Harrison starts taking on some better opponents.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I dont know, the match of Kiltchsko vs Lewis isn't really fresh in my mind since it was awhile but I thought I remembered thinking Kiltchsko was going to pull it out and beat Lewis..Luckly for Lewis he got Kiltchsko's eye bleeding pretty bad

[Kris P Lettus]

He's scared of Roy Jones Jr...

:yes:

[Kris P Lettus]

I dont know, the match of Kiltchsko vs Lewis isn't really fresh in my mind since it was awhile but I thought I remembered thinking Kiltchsko was going to pull it out and beat Lewis..Luckly for Lewis he got Kiltchsko's eye bleeding pretty bad

"LOOK AT THE STATE OF HIS FACE!!1!"

[John la Rock]

He's scared of Roy Jones Jr...

:yes:

Jones would get smoked in the first round :yes:

[The Iron Yuppie]

Now that Lewis has retired from boxing, he can now get into porn where he belongs because there are some who would pay good money to see a six-foot five-inch, 240+ pound pussy.

[John la Rock]

Now that Lewis has retired from boxing, he can now get into porn where he belongs because there are some who would pay good money to see a six-foot five-inch, 240+ pound pussy.

one mega rich pussy who makes more money than everyone in this forum combined :cool:

[Bad Guy]

I heard someone on around the horn say that he wants to go out on top. Technially he did go out on top (as champ) but you take a look at that fight and try to tell me he went out on top. I think this proved that in his mind he cannot beat Klichtscho. Not taking anything away from his career, but he backed down.

[da_king]

<font color="#ccffcc">

i would've prefered him to have the rematch and announce that it would be his last match.
</font>

[Rob]

Heyman - You just proved how stupid you are pal so I won't comment. I will however post the feedback you sent to me though.

"You are a homosexual who wants to have sex with men. Go Jerk off to your Lennox Lewis poster you homo gay queer that loves penis"

Homosexuals who want to have sex with men? Isn't that what homosexuals do? How can someone be a "homo gay queer" too?

[Heyman]

Heyman - You just proved how stupid you are pal so I won't comment.

But alas - you did! you gave me feedback.

You want to be an internet tough guy then go ahead pal. I'm not here to make things personal.

You gave me a negative rating. Thanks for not getting "personal" though. Preciate it. :y:

p.s. you just proved how "smart" you are pal! :yes:

[The Outlaw]

Yeah, I thought he said he wanted to fight Klitchsko again? He pulled the whole bullshit I didn't train for this fight deal, so he said he was definately going to fight him again and train like he should have.

Personally, I think he went out the wrong way, because a lot of people are going to question his integrity, and rightfully so IMO.

Also, LOL@the interview with him after his last fight.

PRICELESS

[Rob]

But alas - you did! you gave me feedback.



You gave me a negative rating. Thanks for not getting "personal" though. Preciate it. :y:

p.s. you just proved how "smart" you are pal! :yes:

You got the negative response for your attitude in the thread. Disagree with opinions all you like because there isn't anything wrong with it. It isn't personal. You clearly don't like me. I personally look at your posts and judge them by the content because, whether you be Triple A, Kane Knight, wrestling god or Danny Electric, I really don't give a fu</>ck what your name is because good posts are good posts despite who posts them.

[Champion of Europa]

Lewis is a boring boxer. Now he's a big pussy.

Never thought I'd say this, but I found the world's first boring pussy.

[Heyman]

You got the negative response for your attitude in the thread. Disagree with opinions all you like because there isn't anything wrong with it. It isn't personal. You clearly don't like me. I personally look at your posts and judge them by the content because, whether you be Triple A, Kane Knight, wrestling god or Danny Electric, I really don't give a fu</>ck what your name is because good posts are good posts despite who posts them.


Dude - I don't "dislike" or "like" anyone on here. If I see people acting all uptight and sh</>it (or snobby towards me), I'll flame them. If people are nice to me, I'll be nice to them.

The whole "rating" I gave you was done for personal sh</>its and giggles. I realize that what I said was stupid.

As far as not 'liking you', that's not the case. I've always enjoyed reading your wrestling opinions and posts. I've found them to be quite informative. However - I find that you are the one who has a tendency to not like people based on what they DON"T know. You are like this in the wrestling forum IMO.

Just because 90%+ of the posters don't have their noses up Dave Meltzer's arses, doesn't mean that they are 'inferior' as a wrestling fan....or shouldn't be respected. Instead of being condenscending to those who you perceive as 'inferior', you should educate them.

This forever - will be the difference between someone like The CyNick (who goes out of his way to explain things to people know matter how absurd a post is) and 91 (who was a snobby asswipe to those who he felt were inferior ).

Which side do you want to fall on?

[Head]

I know nothing at all about boxing, and I only saw Lewis' last fight.

All I gotta say is that that Russian guy looks like he deserves the title.

[KleptoKlown]

Its funny that Heyman is mentioning that Tyson wasnt at his prime when he and Lewis fought.

Lewis wasnt exactly in his prime anymore either, he was still 36 or so.

Lewis is a far better fighter than Tyson. Not nearly as entertaining, but as far as skills go, there is no comparisson.

[Mike]

good point Klepto

[Mikey]

<font color="#ccffcc">

i would've prefered him to have the rematch and announce that it would be his last match.
</font>

[Rob]

If Lennox has had the desire to fight, I would have loved to have see a rematch but he fully admits he doesn't. If he doesn't have the desire then he is definately going into the ring not at his best and that isn't the Lennox Lewis people want to remember. At the end of the day, he never backed down from anyone in his career while if you actually cast your minds back, Riddick Bowe threw a world title in the bin just not to fight Lennox Lewis again and Mike Tyson paid Lennox $4 million cash NOT to fight him when Lennox was the number one contender and mandatory challenger for his world title. Tyson only wanted Lewis when he was broke and needed a pay day. Judging by what happened in the fight, it's not a surprise why he thought that too.

Great champions fight all comers and consistantly rise to the challenge.

[Heyman]

{lepto]{lown']Its funny that Heyman is mentioning that Tyson wasnt at his prime when he and Lewis fought.

Lewis wasnt exactly in his prime anymore either, he was still 36 or so.

Lewis is a far better fighter than Tyson. Not nearly as entertaining, but as far as skills go, there is no comparisson.

Mike Tyson, in his prime, would have SLAUGHTERED Lennox Lewis. There is absolutely no question. Lewis did have far more skills than Mike Tyson, but so did Michael Spinks. We all saw what happened to Michael Spinks when he fought Tyson at his best. Mike Tyson's intensity and sheer athletism would've crippled any 'strategy/skill' Lewis would've had.

Lewis wasn't in his prime when he fought Tyson. However - Lewis was still an active competitor who had been training and fighting. Tyson was a mess. Not only had he served multiple jail sentences, but he was being treated for depression etc., A few days before he fought, he had been heavily dosed (which explained his lack of intensity that night in the ring).


Lastly - Tyson was nowhere near the athlete that he was in the early 90's. As result - he depended way too much on looking for 'the knockout punch'. He was no longer willing to jab, etc., because he no longer had the endurance.

With the exception of Mohammad Ali, Mike Tyson will probably go down as the greatest boxer of all-time (when looking at how one was at his 'peak').


Lewis was a good fighter, but he couldn't hold Tyson's jockstrap if the two men ever fought one another at their BEST.



p.s. On a semi-related note, I think Lennox Lewis would beat the crap out of Mohammad Ali right now. Mohammad Ali is no longer in his prime.........but netiher is Lennox Lewis!

[Y2Ant]

I remember when we all had bets on who would win, and I said Lewis via 8th round KO

Shame we didn't actually bet money :mad: :(

[Rob]

I remember when we all had bets on who would win, and I said Lewis via 8th round KO

Shame we didn't actually bet money :mad: :(

I did.

I wish we could get the TPWW thread the Tyson vs. Lewis fight because everyone would see I called it EXACTLY how it happened.

Put it this way, for arguement sake say if Lewis fought Klitchko again and beat him, he would then retire and then the man he just beat would probably be fighting for that vacant title and if he won, it would make an even bigger mockery out of heavyweight boxing. The way it went down is best for the sport because now Vitali Klitchko can attempt to win the heavyweight title and keep the story going.

Personally, I think Corrie Sanders is going to knock him out just like he did to his brother and in devestating fashion. Heavyweight boxing is in serious trouble especially with no serious big potential stars in the horizon.

[Dazz]

I remember when we all had bets on who would win, and I said Lewis via 8th round KO

Shame we didn't actually bet money :mad: :(

Yah Purpleduck said Lewis in the 8th.

I said Tyson, I forget which round. :$

[The Outlaw]

I did.

I wish we could get the TPWW thread the Tyson vs. Lewis fight because everyone would see I called it EXACTLY how it happened.




I think everyone saw that coming. Everyone knew there was no way Tyson would win. Or maybe it was just me? :p



Put it this way, for arguement sake say if Lewis fought Klitchko again and beat him, he would then retire and then the man he just beat would probably be fighting for that vacant title and if he won, it would make an even bigger mockery out of heavyweight boxing. The way it went down is best for the sport because now Vitali Klitchko can attempt to win the heavyweight title and keep the story going.





IF is a big word though. Especially when the people who were at the fight had the reaction they did when the match was stopped. ALA boo'ing. Everyone there knew Klitchko was ****ing Lewis up.

I mean, if Lewis ****ed Klitchko up the first time, and I'm talking about doing to Vitali what he did to Lewis (and yes, the cut on his eye was bad, I'm not debating that fact), then yes I say the way it went down is the best, but because of the controversy, I do not think that he went out the right way.

[Rob]

IF is a big word though. Especially when the people who were at the fight had the reaction they did when the match was stopped. ALA boo'ing. Everyone there knew Klitchko was ****ing Lewis up.

I mean, if Lewis ****ed Klitchko up the first time, and I'm talking about doing to Vitali what he did to Lewis (and yes, the cut on his eye was bad, I'm not debating that fact), then yes I say the way it went down is the best, but because of the controversy, I do not think that he went out the right way.

That's why I stressed IF :p

As for the first fight, the people boo'ed because it was stopped on cut when things were heating up. Lewis was two rounds behind but was coming back (can't debate it because he got the two rounds before the stoppage on all cards). When you look at the tape, yes Lewis did practically collapse into his stool (not debatable) but everyone seems to (or wants to) forget Klitchko took the best part of 20 seconds to get back to his stool and couldn't sit on the stool because he knew he never had the energy to get back up. That fight would have ended in the next two rounds for an absolute fact because neither man would have lasted another 2!

At the end of the day, can people really dispute that the division is still grasping on that life support machine instead of beind declared dead? It's time to look ahead anyways and look for future stars. Both the Klitchkos are over rated and if Chris Byrd and Corrie Sanders can find that out, everyone else should start opening their eyes.

Take away Lewis and Roy Jones Jnr (since he is going back to fight at light-heavy), the top 8 looks like this:

Chris Byrd
Vitali Klitschko
Corrie Sanders
James Toney
Mike Tyson
David Tua
Wladimir Klitschko
Fres Oquendo

Aside from a well built up Tyson vs. Toney or one of them against Vitali Klitschko (if he wins the WBC title), the division is absolute mince.

[The Outlaw]

Oh yeah man, I was just making it clear that if was a big word. ;)

Eh, I would have liked to saw it go longer. It was a hell of a fight, I was just shocked to see Klitschko take it to him like that. I only saw the replay of it, :(

Didn't see it live. :(