Right now there are a number of heavyweights who could lay claim to being the number-one, the best in the division today, and not run the risk of being laughed out of the room upon making such a lofty claim. We have unbeaten WBC king Deontay Wilder, we have young and unbeaten IBF ruler Anthony Joshua, and we have unblemished WBO boss Joseph Parker.
But retired heavyweight great Lennox Lewis doesn’t rate either of these big men as the best in the world today. Lewis, who ruled the division for years, says Tyson Fury is still his pick as the best heavyweight in the world today. For even though Fury has not boxed since November of 2015 (that’s 15 months and counting), Lewis says Fury “showed it,” and “did it.” Lewis subscribes to the belief that until the world champ has been beaten in the ring or has called it a day and retired, no-one can take his place as the proven best.
“I would say Tyson Fury right now,” Lewis said to The Sun when asked who he feels is the world’s number-one heavyweight. “Although he’s going through problems, I would still rate him number-one. He proved it. He showed it. And maybe [Wladimir] Klitschko wasn’t his full self. But if you come to fight, you have to be prepared to go at the best, and do the best you can and box at the best of your ability.”
Indeed, even if Klitschko did have an “off night,” as his supporters (and Fury’s detractors) have claimed, it’s not Fury’s fault. Like it or not, until Fury is beaten in the ring fair and square, no other heavyweight can lay claim to being the best ahead of him. Of course it’s not the fault of the other heavyweights if Fury is unable to fight and therefore they cannot get the opportunity to defeat him and take his mantle.
Fury cannot dine out on being the best heavyweight forever, but for now, he must still be looked at as the best. Fury’s ring return is eagerly awaited and whoever the 28-year-old fights on his return, it will be one hot ticket.