Boxing

LENNOX LEWIS claimed there is only one “king slayer” capable of beating Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk is 23-0 with undisputed titles at cruiserweight and heavyweight – beating both Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury twice. Lennox Lewis with Oleksandr UsykHe also stopped Daniel Dubois in 2023 but only after low-blow controversy in round five. Usyk hit the floor after the referee deemed a blow to be below the belt – but Dubois has always maintained it was a legal shot. He eventually lost in nine rounds but has built himself back up to win the IBF title – knocking out AJ in September. And Lewis – Britain’s last undisputed heavyweight champ – has backed Dubois to beat Usyk in their July 19 rematch at Wembley. READ MORE IN BOXINGHe told Queensberry: “I’m thinking he’s ready. He’s been through the trials and tribulations. “He’s the king slayer. He’s got the power. He’s been there before. He was just there, he knocked [Usyk] down, so he knows what he needs to do. “It would be great for him to do it, another man from Great Britain. It’s not an easy task, but he’s definitely the man that can go through with it. “He’s done the work. He’s gone through the pedigree. He’s a certified world champion and I think he has big hopes on doing it. He’s going to do it.”Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSUsyk, 38, became the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed champ after beating Fury, 36, last May. But he had to vacate the IBF version to proceed with his December rematch against Fury – which he won on points. Dubois, 27, was meanwhile elevated from interim to full champ and defended it with his KO over Joshua, 35, at Wembley. Usyk and Daniel Dubois rematch on July 19Credit: Richard Pelham / The SunTheir first fight was marred in low-blow controversyCredit: TNT Sport More

CARL FROCH did not hold back with his emphatic prediction for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua. Joshua, 35, is coming off a brutal knockout loss to Daniel Dubois, 27, in September and currently finds himself nursing an elbow injury. Tyson Fury is fuelling speculation of a return to fight Anthony JoshuaCredit: GettyJoshua is currently nursing a shoulder injuryCredit: GettyFury, 36, meanwhile was beaten twice by Oleksandr Usyk, 38, last year, retiring in January only one month after his rematch defeat. But the Gypsy King has fuelled speculation of a comeback with recent training videos and Froch reckons a fight with AJ is easy money for Fury. He said on his YouTube channel: “I think AJ’s finished. Honestly, I think he’s finished and done. And the only fight potentially for him is the Fury fight.”Forget rematching Usyk, forget Dubois again, because we know what’s going to happen because we’ve already seen it.READ MORE IN BOXING”But the fight with Fury is safe enough because Fury probably would struggle to knock him out with one punch.”I’m not saying he can’t do that, he probably can, but that’s a fight I’d probably say, you know what if you’re going to come out of retirement – I know Anthony Joshua’s not retired – but if Fury’s going to come out of retirement that makes sense.”Because for me, it’s a f***ing easy win. I’m not being horrible but Tyson Fury, for me, runs rings around Anthony Joshua.”AJ’s got no confidence, he got flattened in his last fight and look at the form Anthony Joshua’s been on compared to the form that Tyson Fury’s been on.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”Tyson Fury is naturally talented, very skilful, he’s a technician, you see him against Usyk, yes he lost but he was in the fight from round one to round 12.”It was quite a close fight, the right man won, Usyk beat him fair and square but if you’re looking at form and looking at the quality and natural ability and the talent and where he is in the mind, Tyson Fury is a massive favourite in my book going into that fight.”AJ to have surgery this week as Hearn reveals ‘encouraging’ Fury fightPromoter Eddie Hearn revealed Joshua plans to fight in 2025 – with or without Fury. Hearn told SunSport: “Next couple of months, if there’s no movement, we fight. “I mean there’s no way AJ’s not fighting this year. So who that will be? I can’t tell you. “I mean, that’s the million dollar question at all times, but I think more importantly is, do we get any news from Fury in the next four, six, eight weeks?”If we do, we’ll fight him this year. If not, we’ll fight and then maybe he comes back next year, who knows? “But I’d be lying if I said we weren’t desperate to see him return. But, at the same time we can’t just wait around and see what happens.”Carl Froch gave a brutal assessment of Joshua’s fighting futureCredit: YouTube/Froch On Fighting More