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Ukrainian world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk told AFP he has two goals for this year. Tyson is in a unified title fight with Fury and rebuilding the house where his “best friend” was killed by Russian soldiers.<\/p>\n
Usyk’s former teammate Oleksiy Junkivsky was shot in the hall of a building in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv.<\/p>\n
Usyk partnered with charity United24 to raise money to restore a badly damaged five-story house to its former glory.<\/p>\n
He contributed $205,000 for a total cost of $330,000.<\/p>\n
In a Zoom interview, Usyk told AFP it was a coincidence that he chose to visit the building.<\/p>\n
“I randomly chose this house,” the 36-year-old former cruiserweight world champion said through an interpreter.<\/p>\n
“When we came to see the house and saw how destroyed it was, I was a little surprised.<\/p>\n
“My best friend had a boxing gym in this house. He and I were on the national team and went to boxing tournaments together.<\/p>\n
“Olexi Junkovsky was shot by a Russian soldier in this hall.”<\/p>\n
When Russia invaded Ukraine last February, Usyk hoped to take up arms immediately.<\/p>\n
However, he was dissuaded from doing so because his compatriots felt so in his role. sports<\/strong> A world-famous star, he was able to add another weapon to Ukraine’s military budget.<\/p>\n “The people in the Armed Forces have convinced me that I need to prepare and fight to help my country on the international stage, talk about it, and give Ukraine the opportunity to rebuild my country,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Usyk, whose family is in Kyiv, was particularly moved to visit a hospital where wounded soldiers were being treated.<\/p>\n He met with them last August in Saudi Arabia before a title rematch with British boxer Anthony Joshua, who was overthrown by Usyk in September 2021.<\/p>\n It was inspiring because some people told me: “Alex, you should go and prepare and come back triumphant.”<\/p>\n \u201cThese 10 to 15 people came to Saudi Arabia to support me.<\/p>\n “I brought these soldiers who have been fighting since day one to see the battle.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were some players without limbs, but when I met them the night before the game, I felt like part of the Ukrainian army was with me. and with me.”<\/p>\n Usyk went on to retain the title on a split point decision, but said he felt a heavy responsibility on his shoulders during the match.<\/p>\n “In the ninth round, I realized that if I fell now, the spirit of a fighter who defends the country would also fall,” he said.<\/p>\n “I didn’t box for myself, I boxed for everyone who defends my country.”<\/p>\n He said a unified title bout with British fighter Fury could take place “at the end of April”.<\/p>\n This is not Usyk’s first experience of war, as his father was twice wounded fighting for Soviet forces during the ten-year occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.)<\/p>\n “I saw the consequences of this post-war condition and what happened to him. He often had headaches and he had very high blood pressure,” Usyk said.<\/p>\n “He remembers having a nightmare at the end where he called out the names of his comrades who had been killed.”<\/p>\n Usyk’s father never shared his experience directly with his son, but his message was clear.<\/p>\n \u201cHe said the inhumane things that happen in war are terrible and God forbid things like you go to war or watch war,\u201d Usyk said. Told.<\/p>\n As the war is about to enter its second year, Usyk is sending a message to his compatriots – and in complete denial about the Russians.<\/p>\n “My message to my indomitable people is that the yellow-blue heart is strength and victory,” he said.<\/p>\n \u201cTo my neighbors (Russians)\u2026they are so ill that they cannot be reached.<\/p>\n “They write a lot that I’m bad, that I’m not polite, that I should die.<\/p>\n \u201cSick people need to be treated, so let them treat themselves there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “You should die”<\/h2>\n