---
title: "\"He Wouldn't Have Survived My Uppercuts\": Lennox Lewis Says He Would Have Knocked Out Oleksandr Usyk"
description: "Lennox Lewis stated on the BTR Boxing Podcast that he would have knocked out Oleksandr Usyk thanks to his hard uppercuts, which, according to his observations, represent a vulnerability in the Ukrainian's defense."
date: 2026-09-23T05:58:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/lennox-lewis-says-he-would-have-knocked-out-usyk
tags: [boxing, lennox-lewis, alexander-usyk, heavyweight, hypothetical-fight, btr-boxing-podcast]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

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

![Lennox Lewis smiles during an ESPN interview, commenting on his chances in a hypothetical fight against Alexander Usyk](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/23/lennoks-lyuis-zayavil-chto-nokautiroval-by-usika/lennoks-lyuis-zayavil-chto-nokautiroval-by-usika-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Lennox Lewis stated on the BTR Boxing Podcast that he would have knocked out Oleksandr Usyk thanks to his uppercuts
- Lewis noted that he had carefully watched Usyk's fights and noticed the Ukrainian's vulnerability in defending against punches from below
- The Briton previously compared Usyk to Evander Holyfield and acknowledged his ability to compete with the elite of the heavyweight division
- A direct fight between Lewis and Usyk never took place: Lewis retired in 2003, while Usyk moved up to heavyweight later

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.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- ["He Wouldn't Have Survived My Uppercuts": Lennox Lewis Says He Would Have Knocked Out Oleksandr Usyk](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/boxing/vin-vitrimav-bi-moyih-aperkotiv-lennoks-lyuyis-1790141564.html) - Первичный источник. Содержит прямую цитату Льюиса из BTR Boxing Podcast, контекст о карьере обоих боксёров и упоминание тренировки Усика с Альваресом. Все факты статьи сверены с этим источником.
- [Lewis Explained Why Usyk Beats British Boxers](https://gazeta.ua/ru/articles/sport/_lyuis-ob-yasnil-pochemu-usik-obygryvaet-britanskih-bokserov/1225427) - Дополнительный контекст о публичных высказываниях Льюиса относительно Усика. Не противоречит основному материалу.
- [Lennox Lewis Spoke About a Possible Usyk - Ituma Fight](https://www.ua-football.com/sport/box/1776694539-lennoks-lyuis-vyskazalsya-o-vozmozhnom-boe-usik-itauma.html) - Подтверждает активную публичную активность Льюиса в обсуждении боёв Усика. Не противоречит основному материалу.
- ["Never Lost": Legendary Lennox Lewis Said How the Usyk - Verhoeven Fight Will End](https://www.obozrevatel.com/sport-oboz/nikogda-ne-proigryival-legendarnyij-lennoks-lyuis-skazal-chem-zakonchitsya-boj-usik-verhuven.htm) - Дополнительный контекст о прогнозах Льюиса на бои Усика. Не противоречит основному материалу.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Why does Lennox Lewis believe he would have knocked out Oleksandr Usyk?
**A:** Lewis explained that he had carefully watched Usyk's fights and noticed that the Ukrainian takes uppercuts (punches from below). Since Lewis threw very hard uppercuts, he believes that Usyk would not have been able to withstand his attacks and would have been knocked out.

### Q: Did a fight between Lewis and Usyk ever take place?
**A:** No. Lennox Lewis retired in 2003 after defeating Vitali Klitschko, while Oleksandr Usyk moved up to the heavyweight division significantly later. Their potential matchup remains purely hypothetical.

### Q: Who else has Lewis compared to Oleksandr Usyk?
**A:** Lewis drew a parallel between Usyk and Evander Holyfield, who, like the Ukrainian, became the undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Lewis also noted that Usyk could have successfully competed with the best heavyweights of his era.

### Q: Where did Lewis speak about a hypothetical fight with Usyk?
**A:** The statement was made on the BTR Boxing Podcast Network. The information about Lewis's remarks was reported by the publication Sport RBC.UA.