Seven years ago, American boxer Roy Jones Jr. from the hands of Vladimir Putin Russian citizenship. During the war in Ukraine due to the second passport faces a number of swearing on social networks. Ukrainian boxer Vladimir Klitschko also joined him. The American challenged him to a duel for that.
Even then, Jones’ application for Russian citizenship was accompanied by great controversy. The world heavyweight champion met with Putin in Crimea, which Russia annexed to its territory a year earlier.
Jones Jr. he wanted to use the Russian passport to facilitate travel and his trade between America and Russia. “I intend to open boxing schools in Russia, but I also want to pursue my music career here,” the boxer and rapper said at the time.
Putin complied with his request, saying that a large part of the year must be on Russian territory. The American agreed and in the autumn of 2015 he took a photo with a new travel document.
After Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February this year, its fans on social networks want to know whose side they are on.
“I have friends in both countries and I don’t want to see them die. I’m not on anyone’s side,” Jones Jr. told TMZ Sports.
But his former boxing colleague from Ukraine, Vladimir Klitschko, whose older brother and also the famous caretaker Vitaly is mayor of Kiev, did not like this.
“This is a war, you have to choose. Would you rather stand on the side of the aggressor who attacks the innocent or on the side of the people who fight for their right to life?” the Ukrainian asked him.
Jones Jr. but he defended himself against the sharp note of the mayor’s brother. “Do you understand that I don’t have enough information to judge whether Russia or Ukraine is right? I don’t care, it’s not my field. But if it was up to me, there would be no war,” he told Klitschko from a distance.
Even at age 53, Jones boasts on social media that he keeps in shape and would still be able to fight fiercely in the ring. And so he came up with a solution.
“I’m not a politician, but I’m a boxer, I still make a living from it. So if you have a problem with me, come share it in the ring,” said Jones, a seven-year-old former champion.
Jones faced Mike Tyson in an exhibition duel two years ago, when the match ended in a draw. It is not yet clear how his verbal shootout with Klitsch will turn out. The Ukrainian has not yet responded to the call to arms.
