Mike Tyson has weighed in on whether two-weight undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk could have held his own in his era.
Tyson reflected on an era that included himself, Evander Holyfield, and Lennox Lewis. While Usyk is the “best heavyweight of this era,” the 1990s presented a unique set of challenges. Tyson explained that his era was less about technical point-scoring and more about who could dominate the center of the ring. Tyson praised the Ukrainian’s craftiness and footwork, admitting that Usyk’s movement would make him a “nightmare” for many. However, he questioned if that technical style could survive the relentless pressure of a prime Holyfield or Lewis. Tyson pointed to a fantasy matchup with Evander Holyfield as the most compelling.
“Holyfield would have [given] him a great fight. That’s a different era – you’ve got to kill those guys to beat them. It’s hard to beat these guys without getting a scratch on your face. The fighters in this era should know that we’re different fighters. We were more active than they are. These guys were defending their title four times a year, in my era. These guys [in this era] are defending their title once every two years. The guys in my era were warhorses – they fought to the finish,” Tyson said