Classic Boxing Fights: Vitali Klitschko vs Lennox Lewis

In 2003, Lennox Lewis the king of the Heavyweight division. With just two losses on his resume, both of which were avenged, he was coming off the heels of a dominant win over long-time rival Mike Tyson in the previous year.

Nevertheless, at 37 years of age, he was nearing the end of his historic career. The old lion wasn’t done yet, but Vitali Klitschko wanted his crown.

Klitschko wasn’t a green fighter by any means at this point. He was 31 years old and arguably in his prime – still, Lewis wanted to take him on and prove that he was still the best Heavyweight in the world.

Instead of taking an easier fight against Kirk Johnson, Lewis opted to face ‘Dr. Ironfist’, costing him £5 million in cable revenue [via The Guardian].

Originally, Lewis was scheduled to take on Tyson in a rematch, but Tyson chose to pass on that offer. Then, a fight with Johnson was proposed, but an injury sustained by the Canadian meant that the fight couldn’t take place until November of 2003.

Rather than wait, Lewis chose to fight Klitschko. What followed was one of the most memorable and infamous Heavyweight world title fights of all time – here’s our round-by-round breakdown of the action.

Previously in our classic fights series, we’ve taken a look at Derek Chisora vs Dillian Whyte I, George Foreman vs Evander Holyfield and Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns.

Round 1

Both men immediately tried to take the centre of the ring as the opening bell sounded. Klitschko repeatedly pawed out his left hand, looking to bait an opening, but Lewis struck first with a right cross-left hook combination. Neither punch landed cleanly, though.

There was plenty of clinching in the opening minute, as both men tried to set up a big right cross over the top. Klitschko looked like the stronger man initially – this was key, as Lewis wasn’t used to facing boxers larger and more powerful than himself.

Finally, Klitschko correctly measured the range and caught Lewis coming in with a right hand to the side of the head. ‘The Lion’ certainly felt it, taking a couple of steps backwards towards the ropes, before re-engaging.

Lewis looked somewhat sluggish as Klitschko landed a few stiff jabs. To try and break Vitali’s rhythm, Lewis made things dirty in the clinch, grinding the base of his glove into Klitschko’s face.

Still, Vitali was far more active than Lewis. Switching feints between the left hook and the straight jab to confuse the champion, he found the mark again with a crisp one-two. Lennox tried to get his jab going, but Klitschko’s clever movement wouldn’t allow for it.

Lewis missed with a wild overhand right, just before the pair exchanged crosses. A dominant opening round for Klitschko – Lewis was showing every bit of his age early on.

Klitschko 10-9 Lewis

Round 2

Lewis started with a quick double jab, forcing Klitschko back momentarily, before the Ukranian landed a big right cross square on Lennox’s chin.

Whenever Lewis began to look comfortable behind his jab, Klitschko would swiftly shut things down and connect with a well-timed counter. Vitali was using his own jab to great effect, throwing it from the hip to make it harder for Lewis to see coming.

Not long after the one-minute mark, Klitschko caught Lewis napping at mid-range to detonate a right hand on his jaw. Lewis was badly hurt by this, desperately clinging onto Vitali in the clinch.

Still, he couldn’t hang on for long – Klitschko’s raw strength forced him out of it and allowed him to land another chopping right. Vitali did not press the issue, however, preferring to remain patient and let Lewis make mistakes.

This might’ve been to his detriment – Lewis regained his composure and caught the challenger with a thudding jab as he looked to come inside. Vitali gingerly stepped backwards, but remained focused and aggressive.

They each exchanged powerful shots over the next few seconds, but Vitali finished the round stronger, timing Lewis perfectly to land a strong combination at the end of the session.

Klitschko 20-18 Lewis

Round 3

Sensing he was in trouble, Lewis flew out of the traps in round three, feinting with his left to set up a massive right hand that forced Vitali to hold on. He then followed this up with another sharp double jab, looking far more erudite with his defensive work all the while.

Now, the infamous cut above Klitschko’s left eye began to surface, caused by the right cross that Lewis landed at the start of the round. Nonplussed, Klitschko landed four jabs in succession as Lewis unsuccessfully tried to dip away from them.

Lewis immediately zeroed in on the cut, targeting it at every opportunity. Vitali tried to keep a poker face, but the cut was clearly bothering him. Still, he remained on the offensive, landing another strong backhand.

Again, Lewis found the mark with the jab, putting all his weight behind it, causing Klitschko to stumble backwards. Despite the cut, this was still a close round, as Vitali was continually finding the mark.

A hard round to score – both men had success, though it seems fair to give Lewis the nod. All of a sudden, the champion was back in the fight.

Klitschko 29-28 Lewis