Hall of Fame promoter Kathy Duva says Tyson Fury would have beaten Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, but a fight with Lennox Lewis would have been a 50/50

The 1990’s was one of the most exciting periods for boxing in history and at the heart of it were the heavyweights.

Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis are names synonymous with boxing and since retiring, they have gone down as some of the best heavyweights in history.

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Nowadays, Tyson Fury has taken over as the new king of the heavyweight division, although there are those that hark back to the past and criticise ‘The Gypsy King’ and all of this generations heavyweights for not being of the same quality to those of the past.

One woman who has had first hand experience working with both generations is Hall-of-Fame promoter, Kathy Duva, who promoted Holyfield and Lewis, as well as dealing with Fury when he fought Steve Cunningham.

“I think Mike Tyson and Evander [Holyfield] would have had a lot of trouble with his size and he’s a good boxer and would out-weigh them by 50-60 lbs, that’s tough to beat. I think Tyson [Fury] has a huge advantage just through his size.

“As for Lennox [Lewis] that’s a different story, because he’s just as big and he was a tremendous boxer and I think he would’ve out-boxed Tyson [Fury].

“I don’t think he would’ve walked in front of him like Wilder did, he’s a far better boxer than Wilder and he came so close. Wilder couldn’t cope with Tyson’s boxing ability, he really has that boxing ability, he’s very good.

“I think that Lennox, he could box and I know Tyson has that punch and Lennox has been down a few times, but so has Tyson, Steve Cunningham knocked him down.

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“I think Lennox vs Tyson is the one fight I would love to see, because I honestly can’t tell you who would’ve won that fight.

“Lennox was the greatest heavyweight of his era and it was a great era. He beat Mike Tyson, he beat Holyfield, he didn’t get a second shot at Riddick Bowe in the pro’s because Bowe refused to fight him, but he did beat him in the amateurs.

“They were the four kings of their era and he beat them all, so when people talk about Mike Tyson, they don’t want to hear it, but Lennox Lewis was the best fighter of that era, it wasn’t Mike Tyson.

“I’ve always believed that because of his style, which may not have been the most exciting, and because he was able to discipline himself and fight smarter and his ring intelligence and all those things.

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“Just like Dmitry Bivol defeated Canelo by doing all those things, discipline and a great game plan.

“I think Lennox would’ve been a really tough puzzle for anyone to solve and certainly no one of his era could do it. I think in the end if you had to say who was the best, certainly of his era and even this one, I would say Lennox is it, easily.”

Duva is less convinced, however, by Fury’s fellow Brit, Anthony Joshua, as when asked whether she thought he would stand a chance against the likes of Holyfield, Tyson or Lewis, she said, “He’s a lovely guy, but no I don’t think so.

“He’s adorable and he must be a joy to promote and I would kill to have a fighter like that, but I don’t think he’s going to beat Usyk and I don’t think he beats Tyson.

“The two of them in particular are just too well disciplined as boxers and I don’t think he’s ready for what they have in store for him.”