Lennox Lewis knows a little bit about Vitali Klitschko, having fought the elder Klitschko brother in his final fight in 2003. And he also has followed closely the career of Wladimir Klitschko as both a television analyst and boxing fan.
So who does he think is the better of the two?
�Obviously the older one is always the better one,?he said on a conference call to promote the Vitali Klitschko-Odlanier Solis fight Saturday in Germany on Epix. �He�s the most awkward in my book. He�s long and lanky and uses that length, his height, very well. He also throws good combinations. He knows how to keep you off balance. It�s definitely Vitali.?br />
Vitali Klitschko gave Lewis all he could handle when they fought at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Lewis winning by a technical knockout when a cut above Klitschko�s eye ended the fight after six rounds.
Lewis had been preparing to fight 6-foot-2 Kirk Johnson when the Canadian pulled out late in the promotion because of an injury. He was replaced by the 6-7 Klitschko, whose height, reach and ability proved formidable.
�It definitely was a hard fight,?said Lewis, who will do the analysis for the new premium television network's first venture into boxing. �The guy was hard to figure out. And when I say figure out I mean he wasn�t easy to hit. He was way taller than me and had longer arms than me.
�The last major opponent before that was (the 5-10) Mike Tyson. To adapt to (Klitschko), to his different qualities such as height and reach, was a challenge to me. A big challenge. It was one of my toughest fights.?br />
Klitschko left no doubt: That WAS his toughest fight.
�I never met so strong an opponent as Lennox Lewis,?he said. �� It was the hardest fight of my career. I appreciate Lennox giving me the chance to prove my skills against the strongest boxer of all time.
�I have a lot of experience as an amateur and a professional and I can say definitely that Lennox Lewis was the hardest fight of my career.?br />
No fighter benefited from a loss more than did Klitschko, whose strong performance greatly enhanced the perception of him as a major talent.
So who does he think is the better of the two?
�Obviously the older one is always the better one,?he said on a conference call to promote the Vitali Klitschko-Odlanier Solis fight Saturday in Germany on Epix. �He�s the most awkward in my book. He�s long and lanky and uses that length, his height, very well. He also throws good combinations. He knows how to keep you off balance. It�s definitely Vitali.?br />
Vitali Klitschko gave Lewis all he could handle when they fought at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Lewis winning by a technical knockout when a cut above Klitschko�s eye ended the fight after six rounds.
Lewis had been preparing to fight 6-foot-2 Kirk Johnson when the Canadian pulled out late in the promotion because of an injury. He was replaced by the 6-7 Klitschko, whose height, reach and ability proved formidable.
�It definitely was a hard fight,?said Lewis, who will do the analysis for the new premium television network's first venture into boxing. �The guy was hard to figure out. And when I say figure out I mean he wasn�t easy to hit. He was way taller than me and had longer arms than me.
�The last major opponent before that was (the 5-10) Mike Tyson. To adapt to (Klitschko), to his different qualities such as height and reach, was a challenge to me. A big challenge. It was one of my toughest fights.?br />
Klitschko left no doubt: That WAS his toughest fight.
�I never met so strong an opponent as Lennox Lewis,?he said. �� It was the hardest fight of my career. I appreciate Lennox giving me the chance to prove my skills against the strongest boxer of all time.
�I have a lot of experience as an amateur and a professional and I can say definitely that Lennox Lewis was the hardest fight of my career.?br />
No fighter benefited from a loss more than did Klitschko, whose strong performance greatly enhanced the perception of him as a major talent.
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