Koshy
24-06-2003, 11:29 AM
From Fightnews.com
Vitali Klitschko did everything he could to win the heavyweight championship of the world from Lennox Lewis. Even showing the heart many pundits claimed he lacked.
Lewis scored a sixth round technical knockout over Klitschko in their WBC Heavyweight title bout, when the fight was stopped because of a cut over Klitschko's left eye at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
However, it was Klitschko who came into this bout and used his awkwardness, heart, and determination to make the bout one of the most compelling heavyweight bouts in recent memory.
After a tense first round that saw both fighters mostly hold, the action picked up in the second round.
Klitschko, who entered the ring to the song of 'Hotel California,' seemed to take command when he shook Lewis with a right hand flush on Lewis' chin. Lewis, looking slow and confused, was not visibly shaken by the punches, but began to breathe heavily through his mouth.
In the third, Klitschko began to receive a steady rain of right hands from Lewis. It was a right hand that seemed to open a cut over the left eye of Klitschko, sending a steady stream of blood flowing down his face.
The action during this part of the bout was brutal as the exchanges between the two brought the 15,939 in attendance to their feet. Lewis would win this rounds with more effective punches that landed on the head of Klitschko.
In the fourth, the crowd stood up when both fighters went fell on the canvas after both became tangled with one another. The crowd politely applauded as Lewis attempted to help up Klitschko.
Lewis would slow down considerably as he began to drop his hands. Although he would land big, clubbing shots on Klitschko, they were few and far between as Klitschko began to land punches.
However, swelling began to develop under the left eye of Klitschko, which coupled the bleeding from his left eye.
Battling through that and a bloody mouth, Klitschko dug deep to pressure Lewis in the sixth as he landed more combinations and was busier than the champion.
After the end of the sixth round, ringside physician Dr. Paul Wallace assessed the cut over the eye of Klitschko and advised referee Dr. Lou Moret to stop the fight.
As the referee waved off the fight, the crowd to booed loudly. Lewis stood up from his stool and raised his hand in victory. Klitschko looked baffled and stared in disbelief at the referee and Lewis.
Shouts of "No, no, no," could be heard from Klitschko at ringside.
Before the official time was read, Klitschko went to each corner and climbed on the ropes, drawing cheers from most in attendance after raising his hands in triumph and pointing to his heart. Lewis was booed whenever his image was flashed on the giant scoreboard above or while raising his title belts.
At the time of the stoppage, all three judges had Klitschko ahead 58-56. Fightnews.com had the bout scored 57-57 after the sixth.
After the bout, Lewis felt that it was a matter of time before stopping his number one mandatory challenger.
"In my opinion, the referee saved his face," said Lewis, who suffered a cut over the bridge of his nose. "It would have been a matter of time before I would have knocked him out. He would have gotten knocked out in the next couple of rounds. I was getting my second wind. He's a legitimate contender and he has that European style.
Klitschko was very disappointed at the events that transpired.
"Right now, I feel like I am the people's champion. I did not want the fight to be stopped. My strategy was working perfectly as I wanted to take him into the seventh and eighth rounds. I don't know why the doctor stopped the bout. I felt like I was winning the fight."
Dr. Paul Wallace explained to the media why he felt the bout should have stopped.
"When I went to see him after the sixth, his upper eyelid covered his field of vision. I asked for him (Klitschko) to look at me. He had to raise his head to see me. At that point, I had no other option but to stop the fight."
Wallace added, "If he could not see me in front of him, then there was no way he was going to see a punch."
Lewis, from London, England, improves to 41-2-1, 32 KO's. Klitschko, from Kiev, Ukraine, falls to 32-2, 31 KO's.
June 22, 2003
By Francisco Salazar
Vitali Klitschko did everything he could to win the heavyweight championship of the world from Lennox Lewis. Even showing the heart many pundits claimed he lacked.
Lewis scored a sixth round technical knockout over Klitschko in their WBC Heavyweight title bout, when the fight was stopped because of a cut over Klitschko's left eye at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
However, it was Klitschko who came into this bout and used his awkwardness, heart, and determination to make the bout one of the most compelling heavyweight bouts in recent memory.
After a tense first round that saw both fighters mostly hold, the action picked up in the second round.
Klitschko, who entered the ring to the song of 'Hotel California,' seemed to take command when he shook Lewis with a right hand flush on Lewis' chin. Lewis, looking slow and confused, was not visibly shaken by the punches, but began to breathe heavily through his mouth.
In the third, Klitschko began to receive a steady rain of right hands from Lewis. It was a right hand that seemed to open a cut over the left eye of Klitschko, sending a steady stream of blood flowing down his face.
The action during this part of the bout was brutal as the exchanges between the two brought the 15,939 in attendance to their feet. Lewis would win this rounds with more effective punches that landed on the head of Klitschko.
In the fourth, the crowd stood up when both fighters went fell on the canvas after both became tangled with one another. The crowd politely applauded as Lewis attempted to help up Klitschko.
Lewis would slow down considerably as he began to drop his hands. Although he would land big, clubbing shots on Klitschko, they were few and far between as Klitschko began to land punches.
However, swelling began to develop under the left eye of Klitschko, which coupled the bleeding from his left eye.
Battling through that and a bloody mouth, Klitschko dug deep to pressure Lewis in the sixth as he landed more combinations and was busier than the champion.
After the end of the sixth round, ringside physician Dr. Paul Wallace assessed the cut over the eye of Klitschko and advised referee Dr. Lou Moret to stop the fight.
As the referee waved off the fight, the crowd to booed loudly. Lewis stood up from his stool and raised his hand in victory. Klitschko looked baffled and stared in disbelief at the referee and Lewis.
Shouts of "No, no, no," could be heard from Klitschko at ringside.
Before the official time was read, Klitschko went to each corner and climbed on the ropes, drawing cheers from most in attendance after raising his hands in triumph and pointing to his heart. Lewis was booed whenever his image was flashed on the giant scoreboard above or while raising his title belts.
At the time of the stoppage, all three judges had Klitschko ahead 58-56. Fightnews.com had the bout scored 57-57 after the sixth.
After the bout, Lewis felt that it was a matter of time before stopping his number one mandatory challenger.
"In my opinion, the referee saved his face," said Lewis, who suffered a cut over the bridge of his nose. "It would have been a matter of time before I would have knocked him out. He would have gotten knocked out in the next couple of rounds. I was getting my second wind. He's a legitimate contender and he has that European style.
Klitschko was very disappointed at the events that transpired.
"Right now, I feel like I am the people's champion. I did not want the fight to be stopped. My strategy was working perfectly as I wanted to take him into the seventh and eighth rounds. I don't know why the doctor stopped the bout. I felt like I was winning the fight."
Dr. Paul Wallace explained to the media why he felt the bout should have stopped.
"When I went to see him after the sixth, his upper eyelid covered his field of vision. I asked for him (Klitschko) to look at me. He had to raise his head to see me. At that point, I had no other option but to stop the fight."
Wallace added, "If he could not see me in front of him, then there was no way he was going to see a punch."
Lewis, from London, England, improves to 41-2-1, 32 KO's. Klitschko, from Kiev, Ukraine, falls to 32-2, 31 KO's.
June 22, 2003
By Francisco Salazar