Boxing legend Lennox Lewis has urged Oleksandr Usyk to consider retiring at the peak of his career, following the Ukrainian’s historic run as undisputed heavyweight champion.
The former world champion — who famously retired in 2004 after defeating Vitali Klitschko — said Usyk has achieved everything possible in the sport and should “walk away while still on top.”
In a recent interview, Lewis stated that quitting boxing or any sport is undoubtedly the most difficult decision since you essentially want to be the best boxer, win all the titles, and be the most popular person. However, Usyk should follow his own path, he said.
“I would say to him to retire at your own time, but retire on top like I did,” Lewis told Sky Sports. “When a guy retires, it’s really down to him. He’s got to feel that push that he wants to retire. But he can teach a lot of young boxers a lot of different things — dedication, hard work, sacrifice — because he’s been through that.
“It’s definitely the hardest thing to do because you basically want to be the best in boxing and take all the belts for yourself and be the number one guy.
“There’s always other boxers out there that don’t want you to achieve that. They’re standing by, they want to beat you, they want to be the first boxer to beat you. That’s why you’ve got to make sure that you retire on top.”
Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era after outpointing Tyson Fury in May, solidifying his status as one of the most technically gifted fighters of the modern era. Despite speculation about a rematch with Fury, Lewis believes the Ukrainian’s legacy is already secure and complete.
