Lennox Lewis, the iconic British boxer, has cautioned Tyson Fury in anticipation of his unified bout against Oleksandr Usyk. Fury faced a significant challenge in Riyadh against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who was making his debut in the boxing ring. Ngannou sent the undefeated champion to the canvas in the third round with a well-timed left hook. Despite a close call, Fury managed to rise from the canvas, securing a highly disputed split decision victory.
“That definitely wasn’t in the script,” Fury said in the post-fight interview, continuing: “Francis is a hell of a fighter, strong, a big puncher, and a lot better boxer than we all thought he would ever be.” Lewis was one of the few spectators who had Fury winning the fight; however, he had spoken out about his fellow British heavyweight before his clash with the Ukrainian unified world champion in February
In remarks shared the evening following Fury vs. Ngannou, the former undisputed heavyweight champion expressed that Fury appeared markedly different from his previous performances.
“So let’s talk about last night. I think both Fury and Ngannou surprised everyone, but for two different reasons. Fury looked nothing like the man in the trilogy against Wilder. Ngannou by far exceeded most ppl’s expectations. Basically, Ngannou won the night. Fury won the fight.”
Responding to a query about whether Fury was on the decline, Lewis disagreed but cautioned him against entering the ring underprepared for the upcoming challenge against Usyk.
“No… but i don’t think he went thru a full camp either. Better not make that mistake against Usyk,” Lewis
Weeks before Fury stepped into the ring for a 10-round non-title bout against Ngannou, he a deal for a highly anticipated clash for heavyweight supremacy against Usyk. Following the announcement of the decision in Fury’s favor, Usyk entered the ring, setting the stage for their upcoming showdown.
Despite the looming battle, Fury seems to be downplaying Usyk’s threat, asserting that Ngannou presented a tougher challenge due to his size. “He’s a smaller man than Francis; I always said Francis was a much more dangerous fight than Oleksandr.”
Usyk, a 36-year-old Olympic gold medalist and former undisputed cruiserweight champion, currently holds the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles, which he secured in a 2021 victory over Anthony Joshua. He defeated Joshua a second time and defended his titles against Daniel Dubois earlier this year.
