"He Wouldn't Have Survived My Uppercuts": Lennox Lewis Says He Would Have Knocked Out Oleksandr Usyk

Legendary British boxer Lennox Lewis, who retired as the undisputed heavyweight world champion, spoke about a hypothetical matchup with Oleksandr Usyk on the BTR Boxing Podcast Network. According to the former Briton, the Ukrainian would not have been able to withstand his offensive arsenal and would have been knocked out. This was reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the BTR Boxing Podcast network.

Usyk's Vulnerability in Lewis's Eyes

Lewis emphasized that he had carefully studied the Ukrainian champion's fights and noticed a specific vulnerability in his defense. "I don't think he would have lasted against me, because I throw very hard uppercuts, and I noticed that he takes uppercuts. So he wouldn't have been able to withstand my uppercuts," the Briton stated. Thus, according to Lewis's assessment, it was precisely the punches from below that would have been the key factor determining the outcome of the hypothetical bout in the Briton's favor.

Comparison with Evander Holyfield

Previously, Lewis had already drawn a parallel between Usyk and another great boxer — Evander Holyfield, who, like the Ukrainian, became the undisputed world champion simultaneously in the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. In the Briton's opinion, Usyk could have successfully competed with the best heavyweights of his era, which underscores the high level of respect Lewis feels for the Ukrainian's achievements, despite the categorical nature of his prediction regarding their potential fight.

Why They Never Met in the Ring

Lennox Lewis ended his professional career in 2003 after defeating Vitali Klitschko, retiring from boxing as the undisputed heavyweight world champion. Oleksandr Usyk moved up to the heavyweight category only after the Briton's retirement: first he became the undisputed world champion in cruiserweight, and later repeated this achievement in the heavyweight division. Thus, a direct clash between the two legendary boxers remains only a hypothetical matchup that will forever stay in the realm of speculation.

Current Context: Usyk and Alvarez

Against the backdrop of discussions about hypothetical fights of the past, Oleksandr Usyk continues his active work in the boxing world. Recently, the Ukrainian held a joint training session with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in Spain. The Mexican boxer arrived at Usyk's camp to receive some valuable advice for his career, which testifies to the Ukrainian's enduring authority among the elite fighters of world boxing.