Lennox Lewis says Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua should take the world title shot sitting in front of them. The two British heavyweights finally meet on Dec. 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, and the WBA “super” heavyweight belt Oleksandr Usyk vacated will be on the line. As first reported by Boxing News, Lewis didn’t overthink it.
“If the title’s out there – take it, grab it,” Lewis said. “I believe so.”
He also added a warning for whoever wins: “Who wants to be a paper champion?”
The IAHHM Take
Lewis was the last undisputed heavyweight champion before Usyk, so his word carries weight here. And he’s keeping it real both ways. Yes, the belt is open and you take what’s available. But neither man earned this shot by beating a top contender. Both have been in warm-up fights against limited opposition, per Boxing News.
That’s the “paper champion” jab. A belt won in a fight this big will still mean something to casual fans. To the boxing heads, the winner has to go prove it. Joshua has already said that if he beats Fury, he wants to unify against WBA “regular” titleholder Murat Gassiev.
For years, fans begged for this fight when both men were at their peak. Now it’s finally here, later than anyone wanted, with a title attached. It’s still the biggest heavyweight event in Britain this decade. For more heavyweight talk, read Dillian Whyte’s take on Moses Itauma’s loss to Hrgovic.
Who you got on Dec. 11: Fury or AJ?
Source: Boxing News
