Boxing: Boxing: Lewis survives bloody battle to retain world title

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Lennox Lewis was exposed as an aging fighter Saturday night by Vitali Klitschko, but retained his heavyweight title after a cut stopped the big and tough challenger after six brawling rounds.

An entertaining fight ended on a sour note when the ring doctor ordered the fight stopped after the sixth round of a fight that Klitschko was winning on all three scorecards.

Klitschko, bleeding badly from a cut over his left eye, jumped off his stool in disbelief, yelling ``No, no, no'' and going across the ring toward Lewis as if he wanted the fight to continue.

Klitschko hurt Lewis in the early rounds and was more than holding his own in a fight that magnified both the ring rust Lewis had from not fighting for a year and also being a 37-year-old heavyweight in the ring.

All three ringside judges had Klitschko winning 58-56, but ring doctor Paul Wallace looked at the cut and ordered referee Lou Moret to stop the fight.

The crowd at Staples Center booed wildly, and Klitschko held his arms up in victory and pointed to his heart. It was his heart that had been questioned when he quit on the stool between rounds against Chris Byrd.

Klitschko went into the fight a 4-1 underdog and wasn't even supposed to be the best fighter in his family. That honor belonged to his brother, Wladimir, who worked his corner against Lewis.

But the 6-foot-7 Klitschko came out and traded punches from the opening bell, rocking Lewis in the second and third rounds and hitting him with almost every left jab he threw. Lewis looked tired and old, but did enough to come back and land uppercuts and right hands.

One big right hand appeared to open a cut in the third round that proved to be the undoing of Klitschko.

I was dissapointed that the fight was stopped, but it was the right call. Vitali's eye was badly injured. It was a pretty good fight overall. I hope there's a rematch.

[Edited on 22-6-2003 by Ocelot]

As i havnt seen the fight yet i cant really say much...I have only read the report and it seems the cut was bad enough to stop the fight..As Ocelot says a rematch should be on the cards...

I said he would win in 6! Rematch, rematch, rematch.

Yep i remember you did Teflondon it wasn't a bed prediction..!!

I think a rematch should be on the cards as he put up a good fight against Lewis,but i still think Lewis will win again as it is being said that Klitschko put up the best showing of his career...

I said he would win in 6! Rematch, rematch, rematch.

Lewis was lucky the fight was stopped because of the cut. He fought horribly. I wonder what would have happened if Vitali wasn't cut.

True Ocelot, maybe he will train properly this time a shed some of that weight before the rematch though. It wasn't a very good performance from Lewis, he didn't fight his normal way and looked slow and average. Some wicked shots with that right hand though.

Some wicked shots with that right hand though.

Yeah he did manage to get a couple of good ones in.