Lennox Lewis rates Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder as the superior fight to Anthony Joshua vs Alexander Povetkin

Boxing’s last great heavyweight champion Lennox ‘The Lion’ Lewis 41-2-1 (32) has voiced his opinion on the upcoming title fights between lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and WBC titleholder Deontay Wilder and unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and challenger Alexander Povetkin.

Mancunian Fury 27-0 (19) is expected to face Alabama’s Wilder 40-0 (39) as early as November in Las Vegas, while Watford’s Joshua 21-0 (20) is set to defend his IBF, WBA and WBO crowns against experienced Russian campaigner Povetkin 34-1 (24) at London’s Wembley Stadium on September 22.

In an interview with Press Association Sport, the 52-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion revealed his thoughts on both match-ups.

“Fury and Wilder is way bigger than Povetkin and Anthony,” said Lewis. “You have two top guys up the top there, and they’re going to be boxing each other, and they’re big. The public wants to see it.

“[Fury] did the right move [in agreeing to fight Wilder in America]. He’s really stepping up; he heard the cry and he stepped up.

“It’s a little dangerous, but I thought the [Wladimir] Klitschko fight was dangerous [that Fury won on points to claim the IBF, WBA, WBO, lineal and Ring world championships in 2015]. I was saying ‘Who did you fight to prepare you for this?’ But he showed up on the night and he looked good.”

The popular ‘Gypsy King’ returned from a two-and-a-half-year self-imposed exile in June to defeat Albanian cruiserweight Sefer Seferi 23-2 (21) over four uninspiring rounds. Ten weeks later he returned to the ring to outpoint limited former world title challenger Francesco Pianeta 35-5-1 (21) of Italy over the championship distance at Belfast’s Windsor Park on the undercard of the Carl Frampton versus Luke Jackson interim featherweight title bout.

During his time away from the ring Fury stacked on an extraordinary amount of weight, reportedly weighing more than 350-pounds at times.

“I was surprised that he danced around for 12 rounds,” said Lewis of Fury’s performance in the Pianeta fight. “[But] you can see he’s progressing and getting the weight off. He’ll be right when it comes to Wilder.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge for Team Fury will by how new coach Ben Davison responds to the cauldron-like pressure of fighting under the bright lights of Vegas for the first time.

Lewis, who worked with number of different coaches throughout his pro career before settling on Emmanuel Steward from the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit, knows it can take time for a trainer and a boxer to develop the type of bond and understanding that is required to get the best out of a fighter on fight night.

“It’s a work in progress,” said Lewis of the Davison-Fury relationship that has been in place for two fights now.

“They’re getting to know each other. If Ben’s getting the right things he needs out of Tyson Fury and Tyson Fury’s listening, then obviously he’s learning his craft. That’s what you need to do – learn and make sure you’re the best at it.

“Me and Emmanuel Steward was a natural progression. For the first couple of fights, I remember him talking and saying he wasn’t getting what he needs out of me; I need to try a little bit more, do these different things.

“I don’t know how [Davison] reacts under these conditions. To make that type of move they’ll have to do a lot of thinking about it; it’ll be interesting to see.”

Both the Fury-Wilder and Joshua-Povetkin fights hold a lot of intrigue for Lewis, who appears to be excited about the future of the division he once ruled with an iron glove for a decade.

“Both AJ and Wilder have business at hand to take care of. It will be interesting to see how it pans out tho,” Lewis posted on social media on Monday.

“Povetkin is skilled and seasoned. Fury is awkward, tall and mobile. Can’t say it’s a walk in the park for either.”