One heavyweight legend says Oleksandr Usyk would have done well in his era, just not against him.
Usyk is undoubtedly the current number one heavyweight on the planet, having defeated Anthony Joshua, twice, and inflicted the first defeat of Tyson Fury’s career earlier this year. With that victory the Ukrainian became the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis nearly 25 years ago.
Lewis is one now long-retired, leaving the sport at what seemed like the perfect moment. He hung up his gloves once and for all after a final bloody battle with Vital Klitschko to retain his world titles back in 2003 and remains one of the few men to ever retire having beaten everyone he ever faced.
Speaking to Boxing News he was asked how the current unified champion would have got on in his era – ‘The Lion’ praised Usyk but said he would have been too susceptible to his ‘mean uppercuts’ if the two had ever met.
“I would have to compare him to Evander Holyfield and I think he would have done very well.
I don’t think he would have lasted against me because I throw a mean uppercut in there and I’ve noticed he gets caught with uppercuts so he wouldn’t have been able to stand up to my uppercuts.”
Usyk, like Holyfield, holds the rare honour of being undisputed cruiserweight and then undisputed heavyweight champion.
The IBF belt is now held by Daniel Dubois after the Ukrainian was stripped for not facing his mandatory and a rematch with ‘DDD’ looks closer than ever after he dispatched of Joshua this past weekend.
