– The Controversial “Crossover” Event
– Lewis Voices Criticism
– Lewis Responds to Accusations
– Lewis Suggests Alternative Contenders
– Eddie Hearn’s Response
Heavyweight great Lennox Lewis has shared his thoughts on the upcoming fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou, expressing his disappointment and questioning the credibility of the matchup. Lewis has been critical of the growing trend of “crossover” events in boxing, where UFC fighters enter the ring against professional boxers. He believes these types of fights are damaging to the sport’s integrity and do not add any value to the fighters’ resumes.
The “crossover” event between Joshua and Ngannou follows on the heels of Ngannou’s impressive boxing debut against Tyson Fury in October. Despite ultimately losing the fight, Ngannou’s performance gained him widespread recognition in the boxing world and many viewers felt he deserved to win. This led to a highly anticipated matchup between Ngannou and Joshua, which was formally announced earlier this week.
Lewis, the last undisputed heavyweight champion, has been vocal about his disapproval of the Joshua vs. Ngannou fight. He took to social media to criticize the matchup and express his concerns about its impact on the sport.
In response to accusations of being a “hater” of Joshua, Lewis clarified that his criticism stems from the missed opportunity for Joshua to face Deontay Wilder for the undisputed title years ago. He believes that Joshua and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, failed to do their part in making that fight happen.
Lewis suggested that the winner of the fight between Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker, scheduled as part of the Joshua vs. Ngannou undercard, would be more deserving of a shot at the undisputed title. Both fighters are coming off impressive performances and Lewis believes they have a stronger case for the opportunity.
Hearn, on the other hand, mostly ignored Lewis’s criticisms and stood by the plan for the winner of Joshua vs. Ngannou to face the winner of Fury vs. Usyk for the undisputed title.
In conclusion, Lewis believes that the winner of Joshua vs. Ngannou does not deserve to face the winner of Fury vs. Usyk for the undisputed title. He also expresses his desire to see Joshua face other top contenders such as Fury and Wilder in the future.
