Tony Bellew shared a ring with Oleksandr Usyk in the cruiserweight ranks, and has now predicted how the Ukrainian might get on against all-time great Evander Holyfield.
Usyk and Holyfield are in a rarefied class of men who have held all belts at cruiserweight and then heavyweight. Usyk was undisputed at 200lbs and is now a two-time undisputed champion in the banner division, having beaten Antony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois all twice.
Holyfield scored victories over the likes of Buster Douglas, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and Mike Tyson during his time at the top, however fell short against Lennox Lewis in his attempt to become undisputed for a second time at heavyweight.
Speaking to Sporting Talk, Bellew outlined why he thinks the current champion – who stopped him back in 2018 – would have beaten the American legend.
“I used to think Evander Holyfield would beat every cruiserweight ever, but I don’t. I think Usyk would beat him, I think the footwork would have to be too much … Yes [he beats him at both cruiserweight and heavyweight] … Evander Holyfield is a truly amazing fighter, but Usyk won’t engage. Usyk would box Holyfield the way he boxed Murat Gassiev. An unbelievable performance. He adapts to the opponents that he’s facing.”
The Ukrainian is now 39 and nearing the end of his career, but seems to be keen to fight again at least once. Who fills the opposite corner remains to be seen, with Fury calling for a trilogy in 2026, Joseph Parker a WBO mandatory waiting for his shot and young Moses Itauma also keen for a fight with the generational great.
