Lennox Lewis Recommends Fury Be ‘Heavier’ for Usyk Rematch

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis believes Tyson Fury will need “to do a lot more” to defeat Oleksandr Usyk in their upcoming heavyweight rematch scheduled for 21 December. Usyk currently maintains an undefeated record of 22-0. Fury, aged 36, aims to avenge his May loss to unified champion Usyk, which was decided by a split decision in their initial fight. Lewis, himself a former undisputed heavyweight champion, supports Fury to overcome his opponent, provided he addresses the errors made in their first bout. Speaking on the 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast, Lewis stated, “I think Fury learnt what he needs to do next time because he didn’t do enough. He needs to do a lot more. I like him a bit heavier for his fights and not moving around as much.” Lewis further commented, “He has to conquer his own self first. He’s been through these things before so I think he can do it because he knows what to do.” He added, “He’s been at lows before and at highs before. He’s down here right now, he knows how to get back up here. He just needs to put in the work.” Prior to 37-year-old Usyk’s victory over Fury, the British boxer Lewis held the distinction of being the most recent undisputed heavyweight champion, a title he achieved in 1999. Lewis secured the title by defeating Evander Holyfield in a rematch, following an earlier draw between them in the same year. Throughout his career, Lewis participated in three significant rematches. He successfully avenged two prior losses, first against Hasim Rahman in 2001, and then against Oliver McCall, who had defeated him in 1994 but subsequently lost to Lewis in 1997. Lewis, now 59, stated that “revenge” motivated him in those fights and suggested that Fury would experience a similar drive following the first defeat of his professional career. “Every day I woke up training for this person, ready for this person, thinking about them the whole day. I took it real serious,” Lewis recounted. He elaborated, “Wake up every day to their picture. Stick it on the wall. And be thinking about them all the time. It’s a mental war you’re going in against.”