By: Sean Crose
Heavyweight versatile tennis player Oleksandr Usyk has returned to his native Ukraine after Russian forces invaded the country a few weeks ago. “My duty is to protect my home, my family,” said the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion athlete. “It’s not that I want to fight somewhere on the front lines. I am protecting my house. I am defending my wife, my children, my loved ones.” As the war dragged on, Usyk is said to have made the decision (at least temporarily) to leave Ukraine’s “Defensive Kyiv Territories” to train for a rematch with former star Anthony Joshua, who was beaten by Usyk. dethroned last year. According to Daily mail, The 35-year-old “has left Ukraine to begin preparations for a heavyweight rematch with Anthony Joshua this summer.”
ESPN reports that Usyk has been given permission by his government to leave Ukraine for a second Joshua fight, although other outlets have claimed Usyk does not need that permission. According to BBC: “Usyk will now begin his training camp, but contrary to some reports, the BBC understands that the camp is not in neighboring Poland.” Recent developments lend credence to recent comments made by Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn. “Is AJ vs Usyk happening now?” Hearn asked eloquently. “I really think it’s going to… I really think the fight is going to be next and it’s going to be in June.” With that in mind, nothing is established in the text. In fact, as of press time, no official announcement has been made yet.
The highly skilled Usyk surprised a lot of people last year when he deftly beat defending boxer Joshua in the UK. By way of an upset win, the undisputed former cruiserweight champion has spoken out about plans for Joshua to battle WBC tennis player Tyson Fury for the undisputed future world heavyweight title. near the. Fortunately for Joshua, however, the rematch against Usyk took place. Then began the bloody invasion of Ukraine. However, if the reports are true, Usyk-Joshua 2 is still around.
Usyk isn’t the only fighter in the spotlight recently who decided to defend Ukraine. Former lightweight player Vasyl Lomachenko also returned to the country to participate in the defense of the Fatherland. The man known as Loma is said to have fought the prestigious racing driver George Kambosos to stay in Ukraine. Then, of course, there are the Klitschko brothers. Both former heavyweight titles, Klitschkos were fully involved in the fight with Russia. The younger brother Wladimir regularly posts on social media about his country’s struggles, while the older brother Vitali is the mayor of the Ukrainian city of Kiev.
