According to the boxing world champion, there was “a misunderstanding” at Krakow airport
Ukrainian boxing world champion Alexander Usyk has been briefly arrested in Poland, according to media reports. According to information from ESPN, citing an anonymous source, an incident at Krakow airport led to Usyk’s arrest.
According to the report, the 37-year-old and his coach Sergej Lapin were denied access to an airplane by airline employees due to insufficient fitness to travel. The subsequent discussion led to their arrest. According to ESPN, Usyk and Lapin emphasized that they were merely exhausted from an almost 14-hour day of travel from Kiev.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also intervened. As he announced via X, he spoke to the heavyweight boxer on the phone immediately after Usyk’s arrest and subsequently instructed Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko to investigate all the details of the incident.
According to Usyk, there had been “a misunderstanding”, he wrote on X: “It was quickly clarified. Thanks to everyone who got involved. Thanks to the Ukrainian diplomats for their efficient support. And respect to the Polish police for fulfilling their duties regardless of size, weight, reach and insignia.”
Selenskyj, in turn, was “disappointed with this attitude towards our citizen and champion”, he wrote in his post: “Now everything is fine, our champion has been released.”
Usyk was on his way to Valencia, Spain, to begin preparations for his rematch against Tyson Fury on Dec. 21 in Saudi Arabia, according to ESPN. By winning their first duel last May, Usyk had unified all four relevant world titles and crowned himself the undisputed heavyweight champion. However, he has since been forced to relinquish his IBF belt
