Lennox Lewis is backing Tyson Fury to beat Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury and Usyk square off in the first undisputed heavyweight title fight in 25 years on May 18 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The last time all the belts were on the line, Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield for the IBF, WBA and WBC straps at a time when the WBO wasn’t recognised as a major sanctioning body.

There are several similarities between Fury vs Usyk and Lewis vs Holyfield.

Like Holyfield, Usyk spent the early portion of his career at cruiserweight before moving up in weight.

Meanwhile, Fury and Lewis are career-long heavyweights who both tip the scales at around 250lbs.

In the last undisputed clash, the bigger man won and Lewis expects history to repeat itself later this month.

“I believe that Tyson Fury has great attributes, he’s tall, he can box out of both stances, he can go forward,” he told talkSPORT’s Spencer Oliver.

“Right now to me it’s difficult to beat a bigger guy so I’ll always say the bigger guy has the advantage.”

Most boxing experts are predicting that Fury will have to get it done inside the distance if he hopes to beat the Ukrainian slickster.

But ‘The Lion’ is backing Fury to get his hand raised after 12 rounds.

“I think Tyson Fury on points, but I’m not counting out Usyk,” he added.

When asked about Fury’s keys to victory, Lewis replied: “He’s got to use his attributes, he’s got to be elusive and throw that jab.

“He has to do what he knows he has to do. He’s been there before, he’s boxed smaller guys, he just has to bring everything together.”

Turning his attention to Usyk, he remarked: “Usyk will do what he normally does.

“He is going to move well around the ring, he’s going to try and bring Tyson out of his shell.

“It’s going to take a couple of rounds for him because both guys are going to take some time to get used to each other.

“It will take at least four rounds for something to crack through. Who will be the first man to attack? Maybe it will be Usyk.

“Who’s going to be the guy throwing all the jabs and moving around? Usyk will because he’s got to find a way to get in against a 6-foot-9 heavyweight.

“This is the first time he’s gone against a 6-foot-9 heavyweight.”

Both Fury and Usyk go into the blockbuster bout having never tasted defeat since turning professional.

And you can expect fireworks in the ring with the duo boasting 38 knockouts between them from their combined 56 fights.

head of fighting for the right to be crowned undisputed heavyweight champion, WBC title holder Tyson Fury reflects on his journey to the top of boxing; watch Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk live on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday, May 18

At 20-years-old, Tyson Fury had already declared his intention to be world champion. Now, 16 years on, he has the opportunity to do something no heavyweight has achieved for a quarter of a century.

The WBC heavyweight title holder faces WBA, WBO and IBF unified king Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh on Saturday May 18, live on Sky Sports Box Office, in a bid to become the first undisputed champion in boxing’s blue-ribband division since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in 1999.

Watching back a video of himself talking about those ambitions at a time when he had barely a handful of professional fights under his belt, Fury is in no doubt what he would tell his younger self as he stands on the verge of making boxing history.

“What would I say? I think I had it all figured out, didn’t I?” Fury told Sky Sports. “You’re going to be world champion, yes.

“I can be world champion, be No 1 in the world, be the best and prove it – a young kid, a long time ago. I’m 36 this year so that was 16 years ago.

“I always believed, even when other people didn’t, that I would be a star and make millions of dollars from fights.

Tyson Fury doesn’t believe that size will play a factor when he faces Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

Fury stands six inches taller than his rival Usyk and normally weighs in around 50 pounds heavier than the former undisputed cruiserweight champion. The 6ft 9ins heavyweight is known for using his size to break his opponents down, using it effectively in his three fights against Deontay Wilder. Despite his huge size advantage, Fury doesn’t think it will play a part after Usyk proved he can handle big heavyweights with his performances against Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

“It won’t come down to, ‘He’s bigger than me or he’s smaller than me,’” Fury told Queensberry Promotions. “I think it will come down to who wants it most on the night. If he wants it more than me, he will win and if I want it more than him, I’ll win, but either way I think we’re in for a real treat.

“He’s proved he can mix it with the big heavyweights, he’s beat Joshua and Dubois – they’re pretty big heavyweights. I’m messing with an elite fighter who’s got more than boxing ability, he’s stubborn and wants to win like I do. We both have talent, we both have good attributes and bad attributes, it will come down to who wants it most on the night.”

Fury has been critical of Usyk in the build-up for their fight, jibing at his opponent’s size and appearance, but insisted that he still has respect for his opponent and his achievements. Fury even compared his foe to boxing great Evander Holyfield, who too was undisputed cruiserweight champion before moving up to heavyweight.

“Usyk is a bad man,” added Fury. “He’s a real bad man and any underestimation of Oleksandr Usyk – you’d be a mug. I’m training hard for him, I’m doing everything I can, I respect Usyk as a man. I respect his career as well, he’s been Olympic champion, he’s had 350 amateur fights or something, and he’s been an undisputed cruiserweight champion, and he’s a unified heavyweight champion. So, you have to respect that. I’m not fighting a guy that’s had 14 and won 11, I’m fighting the real deal, as real a deal as Holyfield. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

Tyson Fury has been surprisingly complimentary of heavyweight rival Oleksandr Usyk in a new interview.

The ‘Gypsy King’ will look to become the division’s first undisputed world champion in the four-belt era when he touches gloves with Usyk on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.

The build-up so far has seen Fury attempt to lure Usyk into a battle of mind games, and he has regularly mocked his fellow champion’s size by labelling him a ‘middleweight’.

But Fury has now handed surprising credit to Usyk’s achievements, which began as an all conquering amateur before taking over at cruiserweight, with boxing’s glamour division in his sights.

He said during an interview with Queensberry Promotions: “Oleksandr Usyk’s a real bad man and to underestimate Usyk you’d be a mug.

“So I’m training hard for him, I’m doing everything I can.

“I respect Usyk as a man. I respect his career as well – Olympic champion, undisputed cruiserweight champion, unified heavyweight champion.

“You have to respect that, I’m fighting the real deal. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“He’s got good footwork, good boxing ability, technically sound.

“He’s proved he can mix it with the big heavyweights because he’s beat Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois. I’m messing with an elite fighter.”

Fans were stunned by his new stance, with one writing: “Tyson Fury tomorrow will be calling Usyk gappy teeth and a dosser.”

Another wrote: “Well he’s changed his tune.”

One added: “He’s changed his narrative and has been mostly quiet. Finally it seems like Fury is taking it seriously.

“As much as I like Usyk, I think Fury is just too big. Either way, it should be a fun fight.”

He has regularly joked that his upcoming bout with Usyk will be a routine night, though it will likely be anything but given the Ukrainian’s skillset.

Usyk is undefeated in his professional career, and has yet to be beaten at heavyweight since making the switch from cruiserweight in 2019 where he reigned as undisputed champion.

He comfortably outboxed Joshua in their two heavyweight showdowns in September 2021 and August 2022, and will likely provide the sternest examination of Fury’s credentials.

Fury, who has also yet to be defeated, claimed previously that Usyk wouldn’t even be able to inflict defeat on him with a baseball bat.

He said at their press conference in November 2023: “I’ve got nothing to really fear with Oleksandr.

“I think even if he had a baseball bat in one hand and a meat cleaver in the other, he couldn’t really do much to me. I’d still beat him.

“Never mind the size. He’s a middleweight. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have discovered when they will meet in a contracted rematch.

The two current leading heavyweights in the division will do battle on May 18 in Saudi Arabia, as they look to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.

As part of their agreement, Fury and Usyk’s contract has a two-way rematch clause with the second episode anticipated to take place later in 2024.

And Saudi boxing chief, H.E. Turki Alalshikh, has confirmed in an interview with ESPN, that the fight has been pencilled in to be staged on the weekend of October 12/13 to kick off the latest instalment of Riyadh Season.

Anthony Joshua is then expected to enter the frey, with a fight planned to take place next March against British rival Fury, the showdown that fans have desired for years.

Should Fury and Usyk take one win apiece in their two-fight saga, it is expected that a trilogy bout will then be targeted immediately after AJ and the ‘Gypsy King’ do battle.

Negotiations collapsed between the two teams originally in 2023 as a result of a dispute over the rematch clause, but it was later ironed out and resolved.

It is an exciting time in the heavyweight world title mix, and fans will likely get to see an exciting period of action providing the plan comes to fruition.

The second meeting is expected to take place without the IBF title on the line, as the winner will likely be stripped following the event.

Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic are expected to contest the vacant strap when it is stripped, as part of their crunch showdown on the ‘5 vs 5’ card on June 1 in the Middle East.

Fury has become an integral part of the Saudi revolution in the sport, having previously fought Francis Ngannou in Riyadh last October.

It is likely he will remain a key cog in some huge events, with Joshua also being touted to headline a September ‘Riyadh Season’ card at Wembley Stadium later this year.

The ‘Gypsy King’ is extremely confident of beating Usyk comfortably the first time, but has changed his stance and offered respect to his decorated foe.

He said during an interview with Queensberry Promotions: “Oleksandr Usyk’s a real bad man and to underestimate Usyk you’d be a mug.

“So I’m training hard for him, I’m doing everything I can.

“I respect Usyk as a man. I respect his career as well – Olympic champion, undisputed cruiserweight champion, unified heavyweight champion.

“You have to respect that, I’m fighting the real deal. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“He’s got good footwork, good boxing ability, technically sound.

“He’s proved he can mix it with the big heavyweights because he’s beat Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois. I’m messing with an elite fighter.”