Lennox Lewis reveals Tyson Fury’s biggest advantage against Oleksandr Usyk… and talks up Anthony Joshua super-fight
LENNOX LEWIS gives Tyson Fury the edge of Oleksandr Usyk – but his reign of domination is not complete without beating Anthony Joshua.
Fury and Usyk meet in the heavyweight division’s first four-belt unification bout next Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
Lewis was the last undisputed champ in the blue-ribband division when he defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999.
But never has there been a heavyweight champ to rule with all four belts with the WBO not considered a top title in Lewis’ day.
The British icon used his superior size to better former cruiserweight king Holyfield – and he expects history to repeat itself for Fury.
He told The Times: “The bigger guy always has the advantage. I think it’s a good time for Tyson.
“Everyone can see the shape he is in and that he’s taking it a lot more seriously than the [Francis] Ngannou fight — and so he should.
“Both guys are great champions. Both are winners.”
Fury, 35, was dropped by MMA star-turned-boxer Ngannou, 37, in his last bout in October but escaped with a controversial split-decision win.
Usyk, 37, comes into the bout unbeaten in his 21 fights as a two-division champ like Holyfield formerly was.
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Lewis said: “There are not a lot of Holyfields in the world but there’s definitely another guy like him, and that’s Usyk. I don’t think people realise what that means and what he has done.
“I was there for his Olympic fight [Usyk won gold in London in 2012] and he was dancing afterwards. Who is this guy?
“Then he drifted back to where nobody knew who he was, but he is on his way to reaching that goal. He’s reached the last step.
“Don’t count him out because he knows how to win. We can’t take him lightly.
“He will use his mobility, move erratically around the ring, get Tyson moving.
“I think Tyson is going to feint a lot and try to get Usyk out of his game, hopefully get Usyk to commit, and when he does that, take advantage.”
Fury and Usyk are already contracted to a rematch which Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh has eyed for October.
He then wants the Gypsy King to meet Joshua, 34, in a British blockbuster next March regardless of how the double header with Usyk ends.
AJ is set to return in September at Wembley after knocking out Ngannou in two rounds in March.
And Lewis said: “(Fury) needs to fight AJ because it’s a British thing.
“After (Joshua’s) fight with Ngannou, people are saying he’s back, he looked great. But [Fury is not] the kind of boxer Ngannou is.
“It would be a good fight. Fury is elusive and is always going to be difficult to box against. Styles make fights.”