EBritish journalist Michael Benson revealed what Wladimir Klitchko he told Oleksandr Usyk When I finish his fight against Tyson Fury and he went up to the ring to congratulate his compatriot: “I am proud of you, I thank you for this victory. And the most important thing is that it is a historic victory for us Ukrainians”. Usyk replied: “Thank you, you inspire me, you have always inspired me.” The former footballer witnessed this conversation Andriy Shevchenkowho also embraced the new heavyweight monarch in a hug.
Today Usyk is the pride of a nation. The undisputed champion returned to boxing on the advice of the Klitshcko brothers, well remember that When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, he initially enlisted in his country’s territorial defense battalion.. Vitaly (mayor of kyiv) and Wladimir understood that he could be of greater help as an elite athlete than as a soldier and urged him to continue his career. With the approval of President Zelenskyresumed his career where he had left it: as world champion. He had already defeated Anthony Joshua and a rematch against him awaited him upon his return. Then came a fight with Dubois and last weekend he was crowned the great heavyweight champion. For his second duel with AJ, Ukraine brought 15 soldiers to enjoy a few days away from the war.
Some of the guys I was with on the front line didn’t understand why I was there
Before the start of the war, he completed his stay in the United Kingdom by going to watch the Champions League. He learned that Russia had initiated the attack from a message from his wife. He immediately took a flight to Poland and crossed the border to enter his country. He said that his car was the only one heading towards Ukraine. He spent time on the front lines in the ghost town of Niu-York. “Some of the guys I was with on the front line didn’t understand why I was there. “They told me that not even the generals went there and I responded that I was not a general, that I was a normal Ukrainian.”‘Cat’ said before facing Dubois.
If I can bring you a little fun by winning fights, then I would fight every day
The undisputed king of the queen category also revealed that his own comrades urged him to return to what he was best at: “Many told me that it was my duty to train and prepare for the fight [revancha contra Joshua] and return home with a victory. If I can bring you a little fun by winning fights, then I would fight every day. “I’m not boxing for belts now.” Usyk’s point of view now is not the same as before 2022: “Boxing for all those who are defending our country at this time and in the memory of those warriors who are no longer with us”. The Crimean did not stop there in any case: “Also, for all those who want to be free and who defended their country against those who wanted to conquer them.”
The gym of his deceased former teammate Dzhunkivskyi
Oleksandr is currently financing the reconstruction of a building where the boxer was shot and killed. Oleksiy Dzhunkivskyi Russian forces, in Irpin, on the outskirts of kyiv. On one of the floors there was a training room that was owned by the aforementioned Dzhunkivskyi. “They shot him down right at the entrance. In this house there was a boxing gym belonging to my good friend. He and I were on the national team, we went to competitions together,” Usyk told AFP. Through the NGO, United24, The boxer contributed $205,000 of the total cost of the reconstruction, which was $330,000. Usyk and Ukraine’s war continues. Joining him as country champions are Vasyl Lomachenko and Denys Berinchyk.
