Oleksandr Usyk became the latest undisputed heavyweight champion when he beat Tyson Fury in May. Lennox Lewis, who once held all the belts himself, has been debating how the rematch plays out.
Usyk ran out a split decision winner after twelve hard-fought and close rounds with his British rival. A statement ninth in which he had Fury seriously hurt helped him edge it on the cards.
When giving his initial verdict on the return fight, Lewis has seemingly leaned towards Fury righting the wrongs, but now, as the fight draws closer, he has told Droeks on Boxing he cannot pick the Ukrainian to lose.
“Well, I cannot go against Usyk. Oleksandr Usyk has proven himself time and time again, and he’s still undefeated. It really comes down to who boxes the best. Who’s smart in the ring. I didn’t think Tyson Fury was smart in the first fight. I think he played around a little bit too much and allowed Oleksandr Usyk to really pile up the points. Oleksandr Usyk is a difficult opponent. He moves all the time, he’s always throwing punches, he’s in great shape. And that’s hard to beat.
‘The Lion’ then still laid out a path for his countryman to have his hand raised.
“I’ve always said the bigger man should win if they do the right thing. Tyson Fury has to do the right things in this fight to win, and that’s use his jab, use his size, use his movement.”
The two heavyweights face off on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this time for just three of the four major belts. If Fury wins, he has promised to make the rivalry a trilogy.
