Asked to name his dream opponent from any era, Usyk didn’t hesitate.

“Muhammad Ali,” said Usyk to Fighthype.

When asked who would win, Usyk smiled before giving Ali the edge.

“It would be hard fight. Twelve round, maybe 15 round. I’m not win. He wins. Muhammad Ali win,” said Usyk.

Pressed on how close the fight would be, Usyk laughed and replied:

“Split decision.”

The answer reflects the respect Usyk has consistently shown for boxing history. Throughout his career, the Ukrainian has spoken about learning from champions of previous generations rather than comparing himself to them.

Many fans have debated where Usyk belongs among the heavyweight greats after victories over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois. His success at cruiserweight before moving up only strengthened those arguments, with some placing him alongside legends such as Ali, Joe Louis, Larry Holmes and Lennox Lewis.

Usyk wasn’t interested in making that case for himself. Instead, he placed Ali on a level of his own.

His prediction of a split-decision loss also offers a glimpse into how highly he rates his own abilities without crossing into self-promotion. Usyk believes he could push Ali through a difficult, competitive fight over championship distance, but in the end, the greatest heavyweight in boxing history would still have his hand raised.