Lennox Lewis believes Oleksandr Usyk should end his boxing career while he is the top dog in the heavyweight division.
Usyk is currently the undisputed king at heavyweight, after emphatically stopping Daniel Dubois to add the IBF belt back to his collection again.
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Usyk is on top of the heavyweight world right now, but his next fight is yet to be pencilled inCredit: GETTY
The Ukrainian seems invincible right now and has almost taken out all of the leading contenders in the weight class single-handedly during his stellar reign at the top.
He has next been ordered to defend his titles against the WBO’s mandatory challenger Joseph Parker.
But Usyk is currently out injured and the fight is delayed, with Parker taking a huge fight with Fabio Wardley later this month to protect his interim status.
There are several huge alternative opponent options for Usyk should he continue to fight, including a trilogy with Tyson Fury.
Although the previous undisputed heavyweight king before Usyk, Lewis, believes the current king should follow his path to retirement.
“When a guy retires, it’s really down to him,” he told Sky Sports.
“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.
“So I would say to him to retire at your own time, but retire on top. Like I did.
“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 be 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.”
Lennox Lewis’ retirement from boxing – could Usyk do the same?
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Lewis went out as a true champion beating Klitschko and holding his world titles until the day his career endedCredit: Getty
Lewis went out at the pinnacle of the sport, and it is clear why he wants Usyk to do the same.
‘The Lion’ avenged his defeat to Hasim Rahman in 2001, but wasn’t done there as he secured one of the biggest fights of his career against Mike Tyson a year later.
He flattened a declining great to retain his unified titles in one of the biggest nights of his career, but wasn’t done there.
His final bow came against Vitali Klitschko, a far younger and fresher fighter who still succumbed to the great power of the champion.
It was a sensational moment, and to go out in glory is a boxer’s dream, which is exactly what Lewis did in 2003.
Not only did he go out with victory, but Lewis retired as a unified world champion, when so many others have fought on for too long.
What’s next for Usyk if he continues fighting?
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Usyk is certainly in demand with several fights on the table if he chooses to continueCredit: Leigh Dawney / Queensberry
A fight with the winner of Parker vs Wardley is now the primary option for Usyk, but it isn’t certain he is moved by the prospect of a bout.
Several more commercially viable opportunities could present themselves including a third clash with Fury.
British heavyweight rising star Moses Itauma is also coming through the ranks, and could be a huge option next year should he pursue it.
Irrespective of boxing exploits, he has indicated he is likely to turn to MMA in the future for a surprise showdown with YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul.
Usyk suggested he is more than ready for the bout to happen, but is first keen to forge more legacy in boxing.