Lennox Lewis, the former undisputed heavyweight world champion, has declared that in his opinion, only one fighter currently has the capability to defeat Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk holds a perfect professional record of 23 wins and no losses, having unified titles at both cruiserweight and heavyweight. His resume includes victories over both Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, defeating each of them twice.
Usyk also secured a win against Daniel Dubois in 2023, a fight that involved a controversial moment in the fifth round concerning a potential low blow.
Usyk was floored, and the referee ruled the punch below the belt. However, Dubois has consistently maintained that his shot was legal.
Despite the controversy, Dubois ultimately lost the initial bout in the ninth round. Nevertheless, he has since made a strong comeback, clinching the IBF title by knocking out Anthony Joshua in September.
Lewis, the last British fighter to be the undisputed heavyweight king before Usyk, expressed his confidence in Dubois defeating Usyk in their scheduled rematch on July 19 at Wembley.
Speaking to Queensberry, Lewis stated: “I’m thinking he’s ready. He’s been through the trials and tribulations.”
“He’s the king slayer. He’s got the power. He’s been there before. He was just there, he knocked [Usyk] down, so he knows what he needs to do.”
“It would be great for him to do it, another man from Great Britain. It’s not an easy task, but he’s definitely the man that can go through with it.”
“He’s done the work. He’s gone through the pedigree. He’s a certified world champion and I think he has big hopes on doing it. He’s going to do it.”
The 38-year-old Usyk achieved undisputed status with all four major belts after defeating Fury, 36, last May. However, he later vacated the IBF version of the title, reportedly to proceed with a planned rematch against Fury in December, which the original source claims he won on points.
Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Dubois was promoted from interim champion to the full IBF titleholder and successfully defended it by knocking out Joshua, 35, at Wembley.
Oliver Croft