Hasim Rahman fought in an era of heavyweight greats, but thinks one current star could potentially be considered even better than Muhammad Ali.
Rahman is best known for his upset KO win over Lennox Lewis back in 2001 when he won the WBC, IBF, and IBO titles, though lost them in an immediate rematch. He has notable wins against Monte Barrett and Corey Sanders, but lost to the likes of Evander Holyfield and Wladimir Klitschko before eventually retiring aged 41 in 2014. He now keeps a keen eye on the sport and has been particularly impressed by Oleksandr Usyk.
Speaking to Fight Hype, Rahman claimed that what the Ukrainian has achieved in the ring is without peer.
“He can’t go back and dig up Ali or a young Tyson. All he can do is take care of what’s in front of him and he’s done it on every level. In the Olympics, number one.
“And it’s not every often when the heavyweight and super-heavyweight gold medalists fight each other in the pros and if they do it’s pretty much the super-heavyweight that wins. This man was the heavyweight gold medalist, came up to super-heavyweight in the pros after he cleared out the cruiserweight division and came out and beat [Anthony Joshua,] the super-heavyweight gold medalist. The things Usyk has done has never really been done. I don’t think people give him the credit he deserves. He’s got to be in that GOAT conversation.”
After winning Olympic Gold back in 2012, Usyk turned pro and became undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2018 and then moved up to do the same at heavyweight. His second victory over Daniel Dubois last time out made him the a two-time undisputed ruler amongst the big men, so he has more than assured his place in the history books.
What he does next remains unclear, but he has plenty of contenders queuing up.
