Lennox Lewis praises Oleksandr Usyk as worthy heavyweight successor
Former undisputed champion Lennox Lewis has hailed Oleksandr Usyk as a worthy successor to his heavyweight legacy following the Ukrainian’s era-defining victories.
The British boxing icon remains one of the sport’s most revered figures after walking away at the absolute pinnacle of the heavyweight division.
Lewis believes the current unified king has well and truly earned his place among the all-time greats of the ring.
“Oleksandr Usyk is a great champion, a great person, he trains hard.”
Lewis told Sky Sports.
“He’s done it all. He’s sacrificed. He’s got a great family and he deserves his flowers.”
Cementing a historic boxing legacy
The formidable southpaw became the first undisputed heavyweight ruler since Lewis when he initially defeated Tyson Fury in 2024.
Since that historic night, the undefeated gold medallist has cemented his dominance with a second consecutive victory over the “Gypsy King”.
This unparalleled modern resume also includes back-to-back triumphs against former unified titlist Anthony Joshua and explosive knockout artist Daniel Dubois.
The veteran titleholder is now preparing for an unconventional WBC title defence against kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in Egypt.
The eternal struggle of retirement
As the reigning champion approaches the twilight of his career, his predecessor warned of the psychological challenges that accompany stepping away from the sport.
The temptation to return frequently plagues legendary fighters, with domestic rival Fury famously retiring and unretiring on multiple occasions.
Even a fiercely disciplined professional like Lewis found it incredibly difficult to resist the lure of a lucrative boxing comeback.
“Many times I felt like jumping back in the ring. But focus, discipline kept me out.”
Lewis explained.
“Let me tell you it was hard. I wanted to retire and say I’m not coming back and it was hard to stay out of the ring.”
Walking away on top
A high-profile broadcasting role with HBO kept the London-born hall-of-famer dangerously close to the heavyweight action.
However, the personal conviction that he had nothing left to prove ultimately secured his permanent exit from active competition.
His final professional appearance was a violent stoppage victory over future dominant force Vitali Klitschko.
“My trainer Emanuel [Steward] said ‘listen, you can beat the present and the future with this fight’ and I said, ‘Well, I’ll take it.'”
Lewis recalled.
The legendary prizefighter ultimately achieved his lifelong ambition of emulating Muhammad Ali by capturing every available accolade on his path to immortality.
