Now that the undisputed clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has been announced, the predictions are flying in from all quarters.
One man who knows a thing or two about being involved in top-level heavyweight title contests is former two-time champion of the world. Riddick Bowe.
Bowe fought professionally between 1989 and 2008 and held the undisputed world heavyweight championship in 1992 four years after winning the super heavyweight silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
He was the first man to beat Evander Holyfield, who had come up from being the undisputed cruiserweight champion – a scenario echoed in the match-up between Usyk andFury.
Bowe won the fight via unanimous decision and knocked Holyfield down in the 11th round. But the round before – one of the most famous in boxing history – was an action-packed back and forth with both men trading punishing shots, so much so that Ring Magazine made it their Round of the Year.
In a rematch, Bowe lost by majority decision before then, in a third and final meeting, knocking Holyfield out in the eighth round.
Speaking to Boxing News, the heavyweight legend gave his views on how the fight will play out either later this year or at the start of January 2024.
“I gotta say Fury. Fury has the experience and the class.”
Having fought a smaller man in Holyfield for his world title, Bowe was then asked what advice he had for Usyk as the man coming up.
“Do what you gotta do to win the fight. Holyfield was nothing but the truth so Usyk has to train like Holyfield. And Tyson Fury has to be ready for it.”
Bowe would no doubt liked to have picked up the huge purse that Bob Arum recently revealed for the fight – reportedly over $100 million for Fury.