Lennox Lewis reacts to 'dangerous' return of nearly 60-year-old former opponent
Lennox Lewis has reacted to his former rival Donovan Ruddock coming out of retirement.
'Razor' was one of the most beloved heavyweight boxers of the 80s and 90s. He famously had a two-fight series with Mike Tyson and was competitive with 'Iron Mike' both times. Furthermore, he had epic clashes with names such as Tommy Morrison and more.
Nonetheless, Ruddock has been in retirement since a September 2015 knockout loss. Suddenly earlier this year, it was announced that the former heavyweight champion would be returning to the ring for Triller Fight Club. That's despite the fact that he's 59 years old.
The controversial promoter has arranged fights for older boxers in the past, such as Evander Holyfield. However, Donovan Ruddock is nearly 60 years old and will face another man in his mid-50s, James Toney. 'Lights Out' has also been retired for the last few years.
As of now, it's not clear if the heavyweight pay-per-view main event will be an exhibition or a professional fight. Regardless, one of Ruddock's former rivals, Lennox Lewis, isn't happy to see it happening. 'The Lion' famously scored a knockout win in their October 1992 clash.
On X, Lewis reacted to the fight announcement. He stated that contests like Ruddock vs. Toney are why boxers need to prepare for life after the sport. Especially due to the dangerous nature of boxing.
Lennox Lewis gives a prediction for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury
While Lennox Lewis isn't happy to see Donovan Ruddock vs. James Toney, he has weighed in on another bout.
In December, Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk will go down in Saudi Arabia. Well, that's the goal and the hope anyway. As of now, 'The Gypsy King' is currently scheduled to face Francis Ngannou later this month.
Save for an upset from 'The Predator', fans will get to see the first undisputed heavyweight champion crowned in decades. Funnily enough, the last man to accomplish that feat is one Lennox Lewis.
'The Lion' discussed the fight in a recent interview with JOE. There, he stated that Usyk cannot be taken lightly, but that he expects the bigger man to get the win. In the interview, he said:
"Usyk cannot be taken lightly, he’s the undisputed champion at cruiserweight and he hasn’t lost and when he trains for a fight and when he boxes for a fight, there is mental and physical involved so it’s going to be a great fight... [But] I always say a good big guy always beats a good small guy, so there you have it.”