Oleksandr Usyk is just in all-time top 20, he’d struggle against gatekeepers of past era says ex-world champion

Oleksandr Usyk just about makes it into boxing's 20 greatest heavyweights.

That's according to former three-weight world champion, Duke McKenzie, who has told talkSPORT that there are several pugilists of the past who would get one over the Ukrainian champion if they met these days.

Usyk, 38, became a three-time undisputed world champion last month through a dominant performance and subsequent knockout of Briton Daniel Dubois in their rematch at Wembley Stadium.

The victory placed Usyk on a pedestal far higher than any of his peers in the heavyweight scene, having already beaten Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury twice in his career.

He has since been ordered to defend his undisputed crown against New Zealander Joseph Parker while members of the boxing fraternity debate where 'The Cat' belongs among boxing's greatest-ever stars.

After his second victory over Dubois, talkSPORT pundits unanimously agreed that Usyk has now placed himself in the ranks with names like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard.

However, speaking on talkSPORT Boxing this week, McKenzie said the Ukrainian is just about in boxing's top 20 greatest heavyweights of all-time.

Simon Jordan had made the point that Usyk would struggle to stand toe-to-toe with a name like Lennox Lewis, before offering McKenzie the chance to deliver his thoughts.

"He deserves to be in the all-time top 20 [best] heavyweights in the world, but we don't know where he sits in that top 20," McKenzie said.

His response left talkSPORT pundits Ade Oladipo and Spencer Oliver gobsmacked.

"20?! There's 19 heavyweights better than Usyk?" Oladipo responded.

"In my opinion, [yes]" McKenzie said. "Because if we're looking back into the 70s and the 80s and 90s, you look back at those kind of fighters.

"Your Fraziers, Foremans, Alis - then you have Lennox Lewis, your Tysons, Riddick Bowe, your Evander Holyfields, there's a lot of guys that would've given Usyk a lot of trouble that aren't the real big names."

The Croydon native then named 1988 Olympic gold medallist Ray Mercer as another name who would give Usyk problems.

"Usyk, equally, would've given them fits," Oladipo snapped back.

"His southpaw stance and movement and those heavyweights back in the day, as much as we like to look at them, they weren't big.

McKenzie replied: "They were combination punchers. They were huge. They were proper athletes."

Oliver chimed in: "Someone like Joe Frazier, who was relentless, but was a little bit predictable... Someone like Usyk who had that skill set, and you're talking about size and all that, you have to put Usyk as a massive favourite over Frazier.

"Usyk puts his name in that argument, even with the Muhammad Ali's, because of what he's done.

McKenzie concluded: "That's what I'm saying, he's in the top 20!"

Usyk has been told to defend his strap against Parker next, but he can reject the WBO's order if he wishes to fight someone else.

Fury called out the Ukrainian for a trilogy bout after he had defeated Dubois at Wembley, as 'The Gypsy King' believes he should've come out victorious in his previous two meetings with Usyk and wants to right the wrongs.

If Usyk decided to take that route, he would be forced to vacate his red and gold WBO strap.

But, 'The Cat' could really put his name in a league of his own if he obeyed the order, fought Parker, and beat the 33-year-old from New Zealand.