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Brothers head list of contenders
http://www.sina.com.cn 2004/02/09 12:15  Shanghai Daily

  Ukrainian brothers Vitali and Vladimir Klitschko appear the best of an indifferent bunch of contenders for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) title after Lennox Lewis retired yesterday.

  Vitali extended Lewis fully in the early rounds of the Briton's last title defense in June last year before the fight was stopped in the sixth round after a bad cut above the Ukrainian's left eye.

  Vladimir, at 26 the younger of the pair, had looked the likelier prospect to win a world title before he was knocked out in the second round by South African Corrie Sanders in their World Boxing Organization title bout last October.

  At 38, the same age as Lewis, Sanders hardly has a glittering future before him and he has fought only three times in four years.

  The WBC had given Lewis until March 1 to confirm he would take on Vitali Klitschko in a rematch.

  "I know I had him on the ropes and almost beaten," Klitschko said yesterday. "My goal now is to win the WBC championship against whoever they want me to fight.

  "The only other important thing is for me and my brother Vladimir to reach our goal of being heavyweight champion at the same time."

  The two best-known boxers in the heavyweight division are Mike Tyson, now a parody of the fearsome fighter who terrorized his opponents in the 1980s, and Roy Jones Jr.

  Jones is widely regarded as the most technically skilled boxer in the world but he is fighting out of his natural division.

  The 34-year-old American started his professional life as a middleweight and had to bulk up for his fight against John Ruiz for the World Boxing Association belt last year. Despite conceding nearly 10 kgs, Jones still won.

  The fourth title, the International Boxing Federation belt, belongs to Chris Byrd, who defeated the fading Evander Holyfield.

  Lewis became the first active world heavyweight champion to quit in nearly 50 years. The 38-year-old Lewis confirmed at a packed London news conference yesterday that he was leaving the sport after a 14-year career.

  After months of deliberation, Lewis decided to retire rather than defend his World Boxing Council title in a rematch against Vitali.

  "It's a special day in my life," Lewis said. "I'd like to announce that June 21, 2003, was my last fight as a professional boxer.

  "It has been a great honor to be the standard bearer of boxing for the last decade," he added. "Let the next era begin."

  Lewis leaves with a 41-1-2 record, and is the first reigning world heavyweight champion to quit since Rocky Marciano in 1956. The only other to do so was Gene Tunney, in 1928.

  Muhammad Ali retired with the WBA title in 1978, but came back to lose fights to Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick.

  Lewis ruled out a comeback. "I will definitely be the third boxer to retire as heavyweight champion, I promise you."




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