Oleksandr Usyk When Defending Ukraine, Providing Shelter: “My soul belongs to God, and my body and honor belong to my country, my family”

By: Sean Crose

“My duty is to protect my home, my family,” IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion athlete Oleksandr Usyk said during a match. CNN interview. “It’s not that I want to fight somewhere on the front lines. I am protecting my home. I am defending my wife, my children, my loved ones.” The Ukrainian citizen surprised many people last year when he beat famous British tennis player Anthony Joshua on his way to Joshua’s title. A high profile rematch is in order, one that will earn Usyk millions of dollars and perhaps a lot of glory in the ring. However, Usyk has put that rematch aside, at least for the time being. Or rather, events have cast it aside.

On Thursday of last week, Russian military forces began an official attack on Ukraine. This is not a short-lived incursion. As the world was witnessing in real time, the invasion was furious – and Usyk had returned home to join the “Defense of Kyiv Territories”, to do her part to help stop the invasion. military invasion. “There are a lot of assholes trying to profit from this,” Usyk said. We’re helping people, so why do you mean? Because that’s my duty. I have to do this. I’m a man.”

During the interview, Usyk was asked by interviewer Don Riddell if he was willing to kill someone. “If they want to take my life,” Usyk replied, “or the lives of those close to me, I will have to, but I don’t want that. I don’t want to shoot. I don’t want to kill anyone, but if they’re going to kill me, I won’t have a choice. When asked if he was afraid of death, Usyk replied in what some might consider surprising fashion. “Maybe I sound sentimental or something,” he said, “but My soul belongs to God, my body and honor belong to my country, my family. So there is no fear. Absolutely no fear.”

Usyk then showed viewers his current living conditions. He and many others appeared to be in a bunker or basement. People gather in the rooms while a religious symbol stands out. “Some people don’t have shelter,” Usyk said. “We have a basement. When there was an air raid alert, we hid there. There are many of us here. We all live in my house. Of course, it’s nice to have so many of us here. We are having fun, but we force ourselves to have fun.”