In an intense and unforgettable bout on June 21, 2003, Lennox Lewis faced off against Vitali Klitschko at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Originally set to fight Kirk Johnson, Lewis had to switch opponents when Johnson suffered an injury during training. Klitschko, who had been scheduled to fight on the undercard, stepped in as Lewis’s opponent, setting the stage for a legendary battle.

Lewis entered the ring at a career-high weight of 256½ pounds, facing Klitschko, the WBC’s No. 1 contender. The fight started with Klitschko dominating the early rounds, even wobbling Lewis with powerful punches in the second round. However, the tide began to turn in the third round when Lewis landed a right cross that opened a severe cut above Klitschko’s left eye.

The match continued with both fighters showing signs of exhaustion by the fourth round, yet Lewis managed to deliver a stronger performance. Despite Klitschko leading on all three judges’ scorecards, the fight was stopped at the end of the sixth round due to the severity of the cut on Klitschko’s eye. The ringside doctor, Paul Wallace, determined that Klitschko’s impaired vision made it unsafe for him to continue, awarding Lewis a victory by TKO.

The bout attracted significant attention, drawing nearly sixteen thousand attendees and generating a gate of over $2.5 million. Televised live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing, the fight reached approximately 7 million viewers, marking HBO’s highest-rated fight since 1999.

Lewis retired from professional boxing in February 2004, concluding his career with a record of 41 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw, with 32 victories by knockout. Lewis’s decision to retire left the WBC heavyweight title vacant and allowed Klitschko to continue his ascent in the boxing world.

Reflecting on the bout years later, Lewis acknowledged the challenge posed by Klitschko, cementing the fight’s place in heavyweight boxing history as one of the most thrilling encounters.

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