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On August 20, Usik will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO), and International Boxing Organization (IBO) super heavyweight championship belts.
However, the Russian criminal regime’s invasion of Ukraine adds an additional dimension to this duel. Usik himself has already admitted several times that he is fighting not only for the championship belts, but also for his country.
On February 24, when the war in Ukraine began, Usik was not yet in his homeland, but he returned to his country at the first opportunity. The boxer was seen with a firearm in the pictures published on the Internet, but he admitted that he really did not want to do without using it.
After a relatively short time, the famous boxer left the war zone with the blessing of the Ukrainian government, because he had to start the preparation process for the upcoming Anthony Joshua fight. Usik, however, did not have to coordinate leaving the country with the government, as he is the elder of three children.
Although the boxer has left the country with his family, at least for now, his offspring are still confused about what is happening.
“Children ask me: “Dad, why do they want to kill us?” I have no answer to this question.
Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming fight, Usik has vowed to return to his homeland at the first opportunity. True, he also admits that as one of the most popular people in all of Ukraine, no one will allow him to go to the front lines, even if he wanted to.
Usyk’s opponent, Joshua, has already said that he plans to be much more aggressive in this duel than in the first fight. Joshua received the most criticism precisely for his passivity and inability to effectively use his height advantage. Usyk, however, is happy that Joshua plans to go aggressively in the upcoming fight, noting that the British boxer is predictable in the ring.
Usik has 19 fights in his professional boxing career, all of them won, 13 of them by knockout. Joshua, on the other hand, has had 26 fights in professional boxing, of which he won 24, 22 of them by knockout.
