Boxing world champion Alexander Usyk has returned from the Ukraine war to his main job to inspire his country: In the big rematch against Anthony Joshua, money and show play an unusual supporting role.
Alexander Usyk looked Anthony Joshua deep in the eye. Apart from that, the traditional staredown had none of the usual pre-fight banter of a heavyweight mega-fight.
For the Ukrainian boxing world champion Usyk, the focus this Saturday was on completely different things than the ego and marketing show that is customary in the industry. Dressed in national costume and shaved except for one curl, Usyk turned towards the cameras after the “staredown” and fervently belted out the folk song “Oi u luzi chervona kalyna” – expressing his solidarity with the soldiers in his war-torn homeland.
When Usyk steps into the ring against Englishman Joshua in Jeddah/Saudi Arabia on Saturday (from 23.15 hrs), he will not only be defending his title as heavyweight champion, but also fighting for his country.
“I am very happy that I will be able to fight again soon,” Usyk said before his first world championship fight since the outbreak of war on 24 February. He remembers that day, as any person who halfway follows the news does, as if it were yesterday. Only his heart aches a little more: it was his daughter’s birthday.
Usyk patrolled Kiev as a soldier
“She turned twelve that day, and of course she cried,” Usyk told the Guardian. Afterwards, he volunteered for service at arms and patrolled Kiev as a soldier.
“I prayed every day: Please, God, don’t let anyone try to kill me,” Usyk recalled, “And please don’t make me shoot anyone.”
Boxing was not on Usyk’s mind. “My country and my honour are more important than world championship titles,” the family man explained at the time. But great support was heard from home, whether from the army or the people.
Ukrainians want to see Usyk in the ring
“People want him to fight and win. They want him to hold up the Ukrainian flag,” said promoter Alexander Krasyuk: “They want the Ukrainian anthem to be heard like that all over the world.”
Former boxing world champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, even President Volodymyr Selenskyj, also encouraged Usyk, who was allowed to leave Ukraine with special permission, to fight. He said he could help his country more with his performance.
In Ukraine, the fight against Joshua will be available to everyone. Usyk, who has been preparing in Dubai, wanted to buy the TV rights, but the promoters from Saudi Arabia – with no record of glory when it comes to human rights – realised what had to be done: they gave them to him.
“It’s not about money, it’s not about fame,” says promoter Krassyuk – which, of course, is only half the truth: the fight purse for the match is said to be 150 million euros, split evenly between the two fighters. But who will pocket how much is unusually unimportant for the industry in this special duel.
Usyk goes into the rematch against Joshua
as favourite.
Usyk, who used to be the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world and has never been defeated as a professional, is also the favourite in the rematch not only because of his special motivation.
The noble technician had already clearly dethroned the 32-year-old Joshua, this model athlete with the steam hammer, last September. “In the training videos he looks like a cyborg” said Krassjuk before the rematch. He had “never seen Usyk more determined than now”.
Usyk has not prepared specifically for his opponent. “I’ve been following him for ten years,” said Usyk, who often wore a blue and yellow T-shirt with the inscription ‘Colors of freedom’ in the run-up to the fight. He said he would “not be as good as any other fight I have fought – I will be better.”
And after the fight? Usyk wants to return home quickly and support his country.