Lennox Lewis names Oleksandr Usyk worthy undisputed heir

Lennox Lewis believes Oleksandr Usyk has earned his place as the sport's next great undisputed heavyweight champion.

Lewis, who held all four major belts in 1999 and retired as the division's top fighter, told Sky Sports that Usyk deserves recognition for what he has accomplished since becoming the first undisputed champ in 25 years. "Oleksandr Usyk is a great champion, a great person, he trains hard," Lewis said. "He's done it all. He's sacrificed. He's got a great family and he deserves his flowers."

Usyk's unbeaten run includes Fury, Joshua, Dubois

The Ukrainian remains undefeated with signature wins over Tyson Fury twice, Anthony Joshua twice, and Daniel Dubois twice. He beat Fury in May 2024 to claim undisputed status and has not looked back. Usyk is set to face kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in an unusual WBC title bout in Egypt as his career winds down.

Lewis, who has observed Usyk in training camp, noted the difficulty of staying retired once a fighter reaches the top. Even after beating Vitali Klitschko in his final bout, Lewis said the pull of the ring remained strong. "Many times I felt like jumping back in the ring. But focus, discipline kept me out," he said. "Let me tell you it was hard."

The British legend credited his role as an HBO commentator with keeping him active in boxing without returning to competition. He admitted that walking away was a mental battle despite having nothing left to prove. Lewis said his trainer Emanuel Steward convinced him the Klitschko fight offered a chance to beat both the present and the future in one night.

Usyk is scheduled to defend his titles against Verhoeven later this year in Cairo.

Source: skysports.com