Oleksandr Usyk backs himself against the vast majority of heavyweights, past and present, yet there was one man who he admits would have beaten him by split decision.

The 39-year-old is now approaching his final fight but, based on his accolades and performances, it must be said that he has earned his place in the Hall of Fame.

He has, after all, become a three-time, two-division undisputed champion and cemented himself as the greatest heavyweight of this generation, boasting two respective wins over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

And now, it seems, Usyk is attempting to bookend this heavyweight era by securing a clash with former WBC champion Deontay Wilder.

But while there is no denying his dominance in recent years, the Ukrainian is happy to concede that, in previous eras, his unbeaten record would have been in serious jeopardy.

Against a prime Muhammad Ali, for instance, Usyk would likely meet his match when it comes to ring IQ, toughness and a dogged desire to win.

But still, the masterful southpaw tells FightHype that, even against the ‘Greatest’, he would only lose by a razor-thin verdict.

“It would be hard fight – 12 rounds, maybe 15 rounds. I wouldn’t win, Muhammad Ali would win. Split decision.”

Objectively, it must be said that Ali’s signature wins outshine those of Usyk, given that Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Ken Norton became Hall of Famers themselves.

A selection of fans may also highlight Usyk’s performance against Rico Verhoeven, who came surprisingly close to pulling off a major upset in May.

Then again, it seems unfair to fully critique the performance of a man who admits to being one fight away from retirement.