The famous former world champion made a prediction for the Usyk vs. Holyfield fight

Former WBO world heavyweight champion Johnny Nelson (45-12, 29 KOs) is confident that WBC, WBO, WBA and IBO champion Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) would have lost to Evander Holyfield today if he were at the peak of his career. According to the expert, the legendary American had all the necessary qualities to defeat the Ukrainian heavyweight in a hypothetical fight.

"I can easily answer this question. If we consider the peak Evander Holyfield, who rose to heavyweight, and the peak Oleksandr Usyk, I'll choose Holyfield. Holyfield was devastating, had knockout power, and knew how to adapt to the last moment of each round. He always applied pressure, didn't let his opponent relax, and his punching variety was amazing," said Nelson, 58, in an interview with talkSPORT.com, answering questions about a potential meeting between the two boxers.

According to the British ex-champion, even in his fights with Mike Tyson, Evander demonstrated how to effectively strike from different angles – there was no way to just dodge, you had to think one step ahead.

"It would be an incredible fight, but I would bet on Evander Holyfield because of his strength, endurance, and pace. However, this does not detract from Usyk's merits, because he has defeated the best fighters of his time. But if you look at the list of opponents that Holyfield has defeated, this is the criterion by which I make my choice," Nelson summarized.

Recently, Usyk solidified his name on the list of the greatest in boxing history by defeating Tyson Fury in a rematch and confirming his status as the undefeated heavyweight king. Prior to that, the Ukrainian had already made history by becoming the absolute world heavyweight champion and dominating two weight classes.

Evander Holyfield is considered a boxing legend. His path was similar – he became the first absolute champion in the first heavyweight division and then moved up to the heavyweight division, where he held the title of absolute champion from 1990 to 1992 and became world champion in this category four times.

Evander Holyfield retired in 2011, leaving a significant contribution to world boxing, including victories over stars such as Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes, and George Foreman.

Oleksandr Usyk, on the other hand, is ready to leave an even more dominant legacy by remaining undefeated on a professional level.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!