Usyk's mission for peace: “Boxing is child's play”

When the heavyweight world champion gets into the ring against Brit Anthony Joshua on Saturday evening, it will be more than just a boxing match. It's about hope for the people back home, who can watch the duel for free. It's about a sign of freedom that the whole world should see. “Boxing is child’s play compared to war. War is survival,” Usyk said.

One can only imagine the incredible pressure and perhaps even greater motivation of the 35-year-old. Even without the world championship belts at stake, it will be the most important fight of his life. Usyk is an ambassador for his homeland, an ambassador for peace. In the past few weeks he has repeatedly appeared in blue and yellow T-shirts with the print “Colors of Freedom”. He appeared at the final press conference in traditional Cossack garb and sang a Ukrainian resistance song at the end. Boxer as a volunteer in the war Usyk witnessed the Russian attack as an eyewitness. The superstar reported to the volunteer battalion of the Ukrainian army and went on patrol in Kiev. “I prayed every day that no one would kill me and that I wouldn’t have to shoot anyone,” Usyk said. When he visited injured soldiers in a hospital ward, his perspective changed. His comrades encouraged him to leave home and get back into the ring. This would help Ukraine more. Former world champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko also had this effect on Usyk. The Brit Anthony Joshua is considered an outsider. © APA/afp / AMER HILABI

At the end of March he left for Poland with a special permit. Usyk not only had a goal in mind, but also finally had answers to the questions of his three children. They wanted to know from their dad why someone wanted to kill them. “I then explain to them that the Russians want this because they are weak people,” Usyk said. “And that’s also why they won’t win the war. We are stronger than them.”

Usyk's story is also that of a displaced person. Born and raised in Crimea, he left the peninsula after the Russian annexation in 2014 and moved to Kiev. After the invasion at the end of February, the Russians broke into his house in Worsel, northwest of the capital, and briefly used it as a base of operations. It is currently being rebuilt. Usik appeared at the press conference in traditional Cossack garb. © APA/afp / AMER HILABI

In order to give his compatriots a little distraction from everyday life and joy, Usyk did everything in his power to buy the TV rights for the rematch against Joshua for Ukraine. “In the end he even got the rights as a gift,” said his promoter Alex Krassjuk. The fight will be shown for free on national television, on Usyk's YouTube channel and on the streaming platform Megogo. “This is great and shows my connection to Ukraine. This will inspire me,” said Usyk.

In terms of sport, he is already considered the favorite after he gave Joshua a boxing lesson last September and dethroned him as title holder of the major associations IBF, WBA and WBO as well as the smaller IBO. Joshua will need a knockout against Usyk, but he has won all of his 19 fights. The long-time cruiserweight world champion Usyk has only been boxing in the heavyweight division for almost three years.

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Usyk's mission for peace: “Boxing is child's play”

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