Oleksandr Usyk is undoubtedly the heavyweight standout of this generation, but Frank Bruno has now given his opinion on whether the Ukrainian phenomenon would have succeeded in his era.
Usyk became the second fighter to become undisputed at both cruiserweight and heavyweight after dominating the 200lb division and then moving up and overcoming both Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
In July, the 38-year-old southpaw became the first two-time undisputed champion of the heavyweight division since Muhammad Ali, knocking out Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium to further cement his position amongst the greats.
Meanwhile, Bruno campaigned as a heavyweight at a time when the likes of Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield were in their prime, in a highly competitive period in the history of the division.
Speaking with Clubhouse Boxing, Bruno declared his doubts as to whether Usyk would have been able to trump the elite operators that were jostling for the heavyweight throne in the 1990s.
“I think it was a different cup of tea [when I was fighting], a different class. You had some guys from New York, some guys from America, some guys from all over the world at that time and it was one belt, before they made it into three belts or whatever.
“It was a tough time. [Usyk] coming into that era? I don’t think so.”
Usyk has now revealed plans to fight for a further three years but, with a lack of obvious threats to the title at present, it is tough to envisage how an extended reign could change Bruno’s mind.
