Lennox Lewis Believes Tyson Fury Needs More Than Just a Win Over Usyk to Cement His Legacy
Lennox Lewis, the last undisputed heavyweight champion, believes that for Tyson Fury to achieve the same level of dominance in the division, he will need more than just a victory over Oleksandr Usyk on May 18. The former champion believes that a contracted rematch with Usyk and a potential showdown with the rejuvenated Anthony Joshua are essential for Fury to cement his legacy.
Lewis, who beat Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson in his prime, emphasized the importance of being recognized as the unquestioned best in the division. “I aimed to be the No. 1 guy in the division and sport,” Lewis said. “Everything I did was leading up to this point, I wanted to be Olympic champion, so I went back twice to the Olympics. I wanted to be British champion, I wanted to be European champion, I wanted to be world champion, and my last thing was undisputed champion.”
The former champion believes that one fight between Fury and Usyk may not be enough to determine the true best in the division. “When you get two great fighters and put them together, even in one fight you don’t get the full package, you need two full fights,” Lewis reckoned.
Regarding a potential fight between Fury and Joshua, Lewis acknowledged the historic significance of such a matchup. “He does need to fight him because it is a British thing,” Lewis said. “I’m sure the British fans want to see that matchup. Throughout history that has always been the plan. There’s always a big British fight between two enormous heavyweights.”
While Fury’s recent performance against MMA star Francis Ngannou has raised questions about his preparedness, Lewis warned against reading too much into it. “Tyson Fury wasn’t ready, he didn’t take him as seriously as he should have,” Lewis explained. “If we were to have a rematch, you know we would have probably seen Tyson a lot better at what he’s doing.”
As for Fury’s upcoming fight with Usyk, Lewis believes it is a significant opportunity for the “Gypsy King” to cement his legacy. “I think it is a good time for him,” Lewis said. “Everyone can see his shape and see he’s taken it a lot more serious than the Ngannou fight. He should take it serious, because it is a big title. This is what he wanted as well, to be undisputed champion of this era.”
“When you get two great fighters and put them together, even in one fight you don’t get the full package, you need two full fights,” – Lennox Lewis
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