Lennox Lewis believes Oleksandr Usyk’s skill set would have translated across generations, saying the current heavyweight king has the kind of style and polish that would have made him a force even against the elite big men of the 1990s.
High praise from an all-time great landed this week when former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis said Oleksandr Usyk would have fit right in during the era Lewis once dominated. Lewis made the remarks in a recent interview while discussing how Usyk’s technical ability and ring IQ stack up against past heavyweight stars.
Lewis argued that the powerful, skilled heavyweights of the 1990s would not have been too much for Usyk to handle. That opinion carries weight in American boxing circles, where Lewis’ generation is still viewed as one of the division’s deepest and most physically demanding stretches.
“He would have fit in perfectly in my era. Look at Evander Holyfield’s career — Usyk is about the same height and gives up nothing in terms of class. I’m sure he would have achieved similar results,” Lewis said.
The comparison to Holyfield is especially notable because it frames Usyk as more than just the best heavyweight of his time. It places him in the lineage of undersized but highly skilled champions who overcame naturally bigger opponents with timing, movement, and composure. For Usyk, that has become the defining narrative of his heavyweight run.
Lewis’ comments also feed the broader debate over where Usyk belongs on the all-time list. In the U.S., that conversation has picked up as fans weigh his cruiserweight accomplishments, his heavyweight titles, and his success against larger punchers. A win in any major upcoming fight would only strengthen the case that his style is built for any era.
Usyk is scheduled to face kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt. The matchup will draw attention well beyond the usual boxing audience, and the performance could shape the next chapter of the already heated debate around Usyk’s standing among the sport’s heavyweight greats.
