Usyk and Holyfield share the rare distinction of being undisputed champions in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Holyfield's career during the golden era of boxing saw him defeat legends like Mike Tyson, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes.
But Briggs believes the modern era of boxing favors Usyk. In an interview with First Round TV, Briggs explained his reasoning:
"Usyk is just different, the fighters are different now. They're throwing more punches now, the game has changed to where it's more now about conditioning, and Holyfield is a machine. It used to more about skill now it's all about conditioning. You can be skilful for four, five, six, seven rounds, but if that guy got pressure on you and you can't stop it, it's like running your machine too fast. You're gunna lose and you're going to hell. And they're still going up, like Usyk, he's still going up. 12th round he's still throwing punches like it's the first round. Nobody else has been able to do that in the history of boxing."
Usyk's recent accomplishments back up Briggs' assessment. The Ukrainian fighter beat Tyson Fury twice in 2024 and knocked out Daniel Dubois in his most recent fight. These victories made him the first boxer in the four-belt era to become a two-time undisputed champion.
The current heavyweight champion's next move remains uncertain. He might defend his belts against Joseph Parker. There's also talk of an unlikely MMA fight with Jake Paul in the octagon, though that seems more of a wild rumor than a serious possibility.
As the debate between eras continues, Usyk's conditioning and output stand out as key factors in his dominance of the current heavyweight landscape.