Lennox Lewis has hailed Tyson Fury as the greatest heavyweight boxer of his generation.
The WBC champ is unbeaten in 34 professional fights, with a split draw against Deontay Wilder the only blemish on his record.
Fury later defeated Wilder in two further bouts, cementing his place among the best to ever grace the ring.
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lewis told Laureus.com: “When you talk about eras, he’s definitely the top man in this era.
“The crop of heavyweights that we have now, we’ve got Tyson Fury at the top, a great heavyweight for this era.
“He’s southpaw and orthodox, he boxes both ways.
“And if you talk about the last era, you’re only talking about me, Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson.
“He loves Muhammad Ali, like me…he loves me. And he was able to draw energy from me, Muhammad Ali, and the fighters that he loves and put them on himself.”
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Fury was lined up to fight IBF, WBO and WBA super champion Oleksandr Usyk this year before negotiations for the much-anticipated dust-up fell through.
And while former world champ Anthony Joshua is back in the ring this week — fighting Jermaine Franklin at The O2 on Saturday — Lewis believes only one opponent can certify Fury’s place among the greats.
The 57-year-old added: “The two guys that I want to see right now? Probably would be Tyson Fury and Usyk.
“That would be a great fight. Plus, I believe they have to meet me because I’m the last undisputed heavyweight champion of the world right now.
“So, in order for one of those guys to have my crown, they have to fight.”
