Lennox Lewis, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, recently praised Oleksandr Usyk, calling him a fitting successor to the legacy of a "great" champion. Usyk’s ascent to the pinnacle of the heavyweight division has been nothing short of historic; in 2024 he clinched the undisputed heavyweight title by defeating Tyson Fury, marking the first time since Lewis that a fighter has held every major belt simultaneously. The Ukrainian pugilist remains unbeaten and has solidified his reputation as the premier heavyweight of his generation, boasting two victories over Fury, a pair of wins against Anthony Joshua, and two triumphs over Daniel Dubois. Lewis, who has observed Usyk’s training regimen up close, affirmed that the Ukrainian is not only a formidable athlete but also a commendable individual.
"Yes, Oleksandr Usyk is a great champion, a great person, he trains hard," Lewis told Sky Sports, emphasizing the dedication and sacrifice that have defined Usyk’s career. "He’s done it all. He’s sacrificed. He’s got a great family and he deserves his flowers." Usyk now finds himself in the twilight of his career, preparing for an unconventional WBC title bout in Egypt against the renowned kick‑boxing star Rico Verhoeven.
The prospect of a heavyweight champion stepping into the ring with a kick‑boxer adds a novel twist to boxing’s narrative, but it also underscores the difficulty champions face in stepping away from the sport. Heavyweight legends often struggle with retirement, a fact highlighted by the erratic retirement and unretirement pattern of Tyson Fury, who has repeatedly announced his exit only to return to the ring. Looking ahead, the boxing calendar for 2026 is already buzzing with anticipation for marquee matchups, and fans can stay connected through platforms like Sky Sports’ WhatsApp channel, which offers the latest news, videos, analysis, and more.
For those who prefer streaming, services such as NOW provide contract‑free access to live bouts, while podcasts like Toe2Toe deliver weekly insights into the sport’s developments. Lewis himself is a living testament to the allure of the ring. Despite achieving every accolade imaginable—world titles, Olympic gold, and a place among the sport’s legends—he has felt the pull of competition many times. "Many times I felt like jumping back in the ring.
But focus, discipline kept me out," Lewis reflected. He recounted the internal battle he faced after retiring: "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. HBO gave me a job as a commentator and I was there in front of boxing again and I was trying to get away from boxing.
I said I've done everything already, I don't need to prove anything anymore. So I stayed out of boxing." One of Lewis’s most memorable victories came against Vitali Klitschko, a bout that was as brutal as it was significant.
"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.’ It wasn’t a pretty fight but I still won," Lewis recalled, highlighting the gritty determination that propelled him to the top. Reflecting on his own career, Lewis expressed satisfaction with having achieved his ultimate goal: becoming the greatest heavyweight of his era. "That was my aim. From when I started boxing I said I wanted to be the greatest heavyweight," he said.
"I wanted to be just like Muhammad Ali and win all the accolades along by getting up to the top, so if it was European, if it was British, if it was this, if it was that, as long as I won them all." In summation, Lewis’s endorsement of Usyk underscores a passing of the torch within the heavyweight ranks. Usyk’s unbeaten record, his triumphs over the division’s elite, and his unwavering work ethic have earned him the respect of a former champion who knows the sacrifices required to reach the summit.
As Usyk prepares for his upcoming clash with Verhoeven, the boxing world watches with keen interest, aware that the legacy of greatness is being carried forward by a fighter who embodies the very qualities Lewis admired: dedication, resilience, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.