Boxing icon Johnny Lewis believes it’s time for Michael Zerafa to retire from the sport and backed Nikita Tszyu’s decision to walk away from a rematch with the Melburnian.
Tszyu spoke to the media a week ago, stating that Zerafa should hang up the gloves while shutting down any chance of the two sharing the ring again.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Lewis agreed on both counts.
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“There’s been times when I thought Michael had it all, but I think it’d be the best decision for him (to retire),” Lewis said.
“It’s not a good way to go out, but maybe it’s time for him to go because this sort of thing has happened before.
“It’d be nice if he could get a win and get out of it. But at the same time the fighter, unfortunately, is always the last to know that it’s over.
“Looking at his age now and his experience, Michael’s got to realise that there’s a lot of better things out there than boxing.
Johnny Lewis in 2022. Â Getty
“He’s got to be guided by the right people and they’re working with him seven days a week or whatever, but I just see it as fleeting.
“I hope he doesn’t rush into a decision and I hope the one he makes is the right one. He’s a good person.”
The much-hyped clash ended in a no contest when Zerafa suffered a cut eye in an accidental head clash, leaving fans furious.
Zerafa was heard by television microphones complaining he couldn’t see. Speaking after the fight Zerafa claimed he had not said he couldn’t see, rather had complained that his eyesight was “blurry”.
Michael Zerafa pleads that he can’t see. Â Main Event
“All I can say is that when he said something and then he denied saying it, and then it was put in front of him, it made him look a little bit stupid,” Lewis continued.
“But we’ve got to look after these fighters and they’re very brave to get in there.
“And if that’s not there anymore, that’s when you take a step forward and get out of the place.
“If you’re not up for it and you got doubts, get out. That’s how I look at it.
“There’s something up with the thinking that’s telling him to do that, he mentally seems like he’s unsure a bit.
Nikita Tszyu (left) and Zerafa chat after the no-contest. No Limit Boxing
“You’re always going to have knockers and things like that. But, be honest about it.”
While there’s a school of thought that a rematch would be worth much more than the original fight, Lewis does not think it should take place.
“I don’t see it that way but I’m not gonna be the one that’s gonna put the money up for it,” he said.
“You’d think that the Rose brothers wouldn’t be too keen because I don’t think there’d be bums on seats.
“You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool them all of the time. And I don’t think that it would draw a deep breath.
“I don’t know. He’s got a manager that’s pretty astute and capable, but personally, I wouldn’t be too happy to go and see it. It’s dead and dusted from my point of view.
George Rose refused to rule out a rematch in the ring. Main Event
“I don’t think Nikita would be all that up for it, but stranger things have happened – money talks.”
As for Nikita Tszyu, Lewis is confident he can match up with ranked fighters on the international scene, despite his lack of defence.
“Even when he was in control of the last fight with Michael, he still got hit a little bit,” Lewis pointed out.
“I think Nikita can beat good fighters, there’s no doubt. He has given them a little bit, but that’s not gonna be too hard to turn around.
“I’ve always thought that he was the one that could go the highest.
“He’s very, very tough, inside and out, I think he’s up there and given the right bloke at the right time, Nikita will do himself proud and certainly Australian boxing.
“With the longer rounds, you know, 12 rounds, I can never see Nikita wanting out.
“I just think that he’s a real pro boxer. It was just a bit of a shame that we didn’t get to see the end there.”