Account
Don’t have an account? Sign up
Help and preferences
Help
Settings & privacy
Lennox Lewis advises Oleksandr Usyk to 'retire on top like I did'
Article hero background
Lennox Lewis advises Oleksandr Usyk to 'retire on top like I did'
Link copied!
Oct 5, 2025
Oct 5, 2025
1 min read
Lennox Lewis believes unbeaten heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk should go out on top, as the Hall of Famer did a generation ago.
Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk doesn’t have much left to prove.
After beating Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois twice each over his last six fights spanning four years, Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) is alone at the mountaintop, waiting to make his next move.
Conversations around the sport are calling for the 38-year-old Ukrainian to retire, while others are suggesting Joseph Parker and Moises Itauma should get a crack.
Boxing icon and former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis says Usyk should march to the beat of his own drum.
“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."
Lewis retired at 38 after stopping Vitali Klitschko on a cut in 2003. A knockout win against Mike Tyson preceded that performance in 2002, and Lewis avenged a knockout loss to Hasim Rahman by returning the favor in 2001. Lewis (42-2-1) beat Evander Holyfield, David Tua, Andrew Golota and Shannon Briggs along the way.
As for Usyk, he’s been nursing a back injury ever since knocking out Dubois in July and is also starring in “The Smashing Machine” opposite Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
Manouk Akopyan is The Ring’s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.
Analysis
Noticias de combate
Article thumbnail
Next
Hamzah Sheeraz Won't Wait For Canelo Alvarez, Next Fight Plans Up In The Air
RELATED ARTICLES
Corey Erdman: Cloaked in blood and sweat of Ali and Frazier, Madison Square Garden readies for another big fight
Analysis
Corey Erdman: Cloaked in blood and sweat of Ali and Frazier, Madison Square Garden readies for another big fight
Who wins Bakhram Murtazaliev-Josh Kelly, and what will it mean?
Analysis
Who wins Bakhram Murtazaliev-Josh Kelly, and what will it mean?
Xander Zayas, Javiel Centeno Eye History in Puerto Rico
Analysis
Xander Zayas, Javiel Centeno Eye History in Puerto Rico
RELATED ARTICLES
Corey Erdman: Cloaked in blood and sweat of Ali and Frazier, Madison Square Garden readies for another big fight
Analysis
Corey Erdman: Cloaked in blood and sweat of Ali and Frazier, Madison Square Garden readies for another big fight
Who wins Bakhram Murtazaliev-Josh Kelly, and what will it mean?
Analysis
Who wins Bakhram Murtazaliev-Josh Kelly, and what will it mean?
Xander Zayas, Javiel Centeno Eye History in Puerto Rico
Analysis
Xander Zayas, Javiel Centeno Eye History in Puerto Rico
Can you beat Coppinger?

Lock in your fantasy picks on rising stars and title contenders for a shot at $100,000 and exclusive custom boxing merch.

Can you beat Coppinger?
Partners
  • Strategic
    Partners
  • Strategic Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight
    Partners
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Heavyweight Partners partner logo
  • Middlewight
    Partners
  • Middlewight Partners partner logo
  • Middlewight Partners partner logo
  • Middlewight Partners partner logo
  • Middlewight Partners partner logo
  • Middlewight Partners partner logo
  • Middlewight Partners partner logo
  • Lightweight
    Partners
  • Lightweight Partners partner logo
  • Lightweight Partners partner logo
  • Lightweight Partners partner logo
  • Partners
  • Partners partner logo
  • Partners partner logo
  • Partners partner logo
  • Partners partner logo
  • Promoters
  • Promoters partner logo
  • Promoters partner logo
  • Promoters partner logo
  • Promoters partner logo
  • Promoters partner logo
  • Promoters partner logo