21 years ago
Lennox Lewis vs Vitali Klitschko
Date: 21st June 2003
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CaliforniaTitle: WBC & IBO World Heavyweight Titles
Promoter: Gary Shaw Productions
Referee: Lou Moret
Tv: HBO Sports
Lennox Lewis
(
40
-
2
-
1
)
Weight: 256½ lbs
Vitali Klitschko
(
32
-
1
-
0
)
Weight: 248 lbs
On June 21, 2003, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Lennox Lewis defended his WBC and IBO heavyweight titles against Vitali Klitschko. Lewis, aged 37, entered the ring with a record of 40-2-1, weighing 256½ pounds—the heaviest of his career. Klitschko, six years his junior, held a 32-1 record and weighed in at 248 pounds.
Originally, Lewis was scheduled to fight Kirk Johnson, who withdrew due to injury. Klitschko, initially set to face Cedric Boswell on the undercard, stepped in as a replacement on short notice. Despite the limited preparation time, Klitschko was the WBC's No. 1-rated heavyweight contender.
From the opening bell, Klitschko took the initiative, pressing the action and landing significant punches. He secured the first two rounds on all three judges' scorecards. In the third round, a powerful right hand from Lewis opened a severe cut above Klitschko's left eye. Despite the injury, Klitschko continued to fight aggressively, and by the end of the sixth round, he was ahead on all scorecards, with each judge scoring the bout 58-56 in his favor.
However, the damage to Klitschko's eye worsened, prompting ringside physician Dr. Paul Wallace to advise referee Lou Moret to halt the contest after the sixth round. The fight was stopped due to the severity of the cut, awarding Lewis a technical knockout victory. Klitschko required 60 stitches to repair four facial cuts and one inside his mouth.
The bout was attended by 15,939 spectators, with a paid attendance of 8,490. Financially, Lewis was guaranteed $7 million, while Klitschko earned $1.4 million. The event generated a gate of $2,523,384.
This fight marked the end of Lennox Lewis's professional career, as he announced his retirement on February 6, 2004. Reflecting on the bout years later, Lewis acknowledged Klitschko as his most challenging opponent.
Lennox Lewis vs Vitali Klitschko on YouTube
