Tyson Fury would be leaving a lot of the table if he truly decides to walk away from boxing and a chance at becoming an undisputed champion, according to his illustrious countryman and heavyweight forebear Lennox Lewis.

In a series of adulatory tweets, Lewis, one of the all-time greats in British boxing, implored Manchester’s Fury to reconsider his decision to forgo his boxing career and settle into retirement. Fury reiterated the dramatic claim, which he first made earlier this year, after his sixth-round knockout of Dillian Whyte last Saturday night at Wembley Stadium in London, where 94,000 tickets had reportedly been sold.

In an often uneventful, and at times ugly, fight, Fury quickly ended matters late in the sixth, when a right uppercut (and small push) sent Whyte sailing to the canvas; Whyte beat the count but was on unsteady legs, prompting the referee to halt the bout.

Citing a promise he had made to his wife, Fury, the WBC beltholder, said afterward that he intends to hang up the gloves for good. (It should be noted that on the same night Fury expressed a desire to face UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a hybrid bout).

Lewis, the last man in the heavyweight division to unify all the belts (in the three-belt era), thinks it would be a shame and missed opportunity if Fury never tried his hand at doing the same, given that Fury’s public appeal has never been greater. Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine currently owns the other three belts: WBA, WBO, and IBF. Usyk is headed for a rematch against Anthony Joshua later this summer. The winner of that fight would be an obvious opponent for Fury to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion. Lewis has long publicly expressed admiration for Fury, in part because Fury is trained by SugarHill Steward, the nephew of Lewis’ late trainer Emanual Steward, who headed the legendary Kronk Boxing Gym in Detroit.

“Another great performance by [Tyson Fury] last night to show why he’s the number one [heavyweight] in the division right now,” Lewis wrote.“But let’s talk about the economics. He filled Wembley with 94 thousand fans (the biggest gate in Wembley history) to prove he has drawing power among UK fan base.

“So to think, that there’s even BIGGER fights than this still out there is [mind blowing]. I know he’s talked retirement after last night, but I feel there’s still some unfinished business to be done on his part and I look forward to welcoming him into the undisputed club as a fellow Brit and as an honour to the lineage of  #kronkboxing, when all is said and done.

“To see him get up off the canvas of life and turn himself into the best [heavyweight] in the world is a thing of beauty. I’ve personally learned to never bet against him and am proud of his accomplishments and commitment to himself and his craft.”

Lewis made it clear that he wants Fury to join him in the undisputed ranks of heavyweight history, saying that he has been keeping the undisputed distinction “warm” for far too long.

“When Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder had a chance to make history, it didn’t happen,” Lewis continued. “Fury is one fight away, and either, AJ or Usyk, are 2-3 fights away from UNDISPUTED. Which is the fight I’ve been calling for for many years….

“I’m hoping everyone takes care of business and the winner of Joshua-Usyk steps into the ring with Fury to crown the first undisputed champion since me. I’ve been keeping UNDISPUTED warm for way too many years.

“In the meantime, it’s now time for [Fury] to celebrate his win with his family and friends and wait to see what happens in this crazy HW division. Congrats champ on a job well done. Relax, rest, and enjoy. All of it is well deserved. Bless!”