Vitali Klitschko has revealed that Lennox Lewis' mother stopped him from getting a rematch with the former world heavyweight champion.
Lewis beat the Ukrainian in controversial circumstances when they fought in 2003, with the bout stopped in the sixth round due to a cut above Klitschko's eye.
The 38-year-old was ahead on points at that stage but, because the referee ruled that the cut was the result of a punch rather than a headbutt, Lewis took victory.
Klitschko has now confirmed the reason why the pair never clashed for a second time.
"Lennox promised me but his mum decided he wasn't going to fight," said the 38-year-old ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Abu Dhabi.
"He invited me to London, without managers, he said he wanted to talk just together. I came to the room and his mum is there. We talked for two hours and his mum was looking at me and scanning me.
"After that I went away and he called me a couple of hours later and said 'Sorry, but no'. I felt it wasn't his decision, his mum decided. I tried to change his decision, but it's difficult.
"But I was appreciative to Lennox Lewis that I got the chance to prove my skills against the toughest fighter in the world. But he was lucky, because I was ahead but the doctor stopped the fight with the cut."