IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois deserves a second chance at WBO, WBC, and WBA heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
While Usyk ended the first bout between the two men in August 2023 in thunderous fashion, that victory has been overshadowed at times by a controversial incident that occurred in the 5th round of that fight. That was when Usyk was brought down by a Dubois shot that was controversially ruled a low blow. The referee then made it clear he wanted Usyk take a good amount of time for himself in order to be fully recovered before returning to the action. Suffice to say, Usyk took over three minutes before resuming the fight.
There are still those who feel that the low blow that landed on Usyk wasn’t really a low blow. On top of that, the referee’s behavior, as well as the generous amount of time it took Usyk to recover, have led to raised eyebrows regarding the fight. Naturally, more people would believe Dubois got a raw deal if Usyk hadn’t gone on to stop the man in the 9th. Had the fight gone to the cards, the mere fact that Dubois had gone to the final bell would give credence to an accusation of unfair treatment. Since Usyk sent his opponent to the canvas in both the 8th and 9th, however, Usyk’s victory became more definitive.
And now many, if not most, fans are disinterested in seeing Usyk battle Dubois again. Usyk defeated Tyson Fury for the second time last weekend, and now appears to be at the zenith of his Hall of Fame caliber career. The overall opinion seems to be that Usyk-Dubois 2 would have a been-there, done-that vibe to it. That perhaps is true, but that doesn’t mean the fight shouldn’t happen.
Besides, Dubois is the IBF heavyweight champion. If Usyk bests him again, he’ll once more be undisputed. While Usyk-Dubois 2 wouldn’t generate the interest Usyk’s fights with Fury and Anthony Joshua did, it would take away any last whiff of unfinished businesses that might still be hovering over Usyk’s reputation…provided, of course, that Usyk wins. And that Dubois bests former titlist Joseph Parker when they meet in February of the coming year. It’s good to keep in mind that Usyk is now closer to thirty than he is to forty years of age. It’s doubtful that he’ll be fighting all that much longer. Should he face Dubois again, he will have truly cleaned out the heavyweight division…unless, of course, he’s bested by Dubois.
Heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury will take a rest before considering whether to face Anthony Joshua in an all-British showdown in 2025, despite contesting the decision to award Oleksandr Usyk victory in their bout in Riyadh.
Fury now has two defeats on his record, both by Usyk, and they will stand. The British fighter, 36, has earned a staggering sum in the past five years, for his trilogy of fights with Deontay Wilder in the United States and recent events against Usyk in Saudi Arabia. However, it remains to be seen whether the heavyweight can haul himself into camp for one last hurrah.
He hinted in the aftermath of his second loss to Usyk, that he may even retire.
“You might see me fight again, you might not,” Fury said post-fight.
And if the former two-time heavyweight champion does decide to call it a day, it will deny British fight fans the clash they have been clamouring for, with him and Joshua having been on a collision course for almost a decade.
Promoter Eddie Hearn is calling for it now.
“The reality is there’s only one fight for Tyson Fury and that’s Anthony Joshua,” he told DAZN. “It’s the biggest fight in the history of British boxing and everyone will want to see it.”
“For me, AJ against Fury is the one. One at Wembley and then back out here for Riyadh season. I will be pushing his excellency [Saudi Arabia’s boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh] to make the fight.”
If instead he chooses to retire,Fury will still be remembered as a great heavyweight and one of the sport’s great showmen. With freakish skills for his size, his crowning glories were deposing Wladimir Klitschko, who had reigned as heavyweight king for a decade, and for the trilogy of fights with Wilder, who was considered the most dangerous puncher on the planet at the time.
First, though, Fury must deal with the second defeat of his career, and one which he vehemently disagrees with: “I thought I won the fight again, I was Larry Holmes-ed again,” said Fury. “I was on the front foot the entire time. When you don’t get the knockout this is what can happen.”
As Fury walked to his dressing room after the fight, his oldest son Prince by his side, he asserted that he believed that he had won “by three rounds”. That view was re-enforced by Frank Warren, his promoter, who was bewildered by the judges’ scores of 116-112 to Usyk, meaning that all three ringside officials had scored the world championship bout at eight rounds to four in favour of Usyk.
Several of the rounds were extremely close. That was reflected in the three judges being in unison on only seven of the 12 rounds, with them favouring the second half of the fight towards the Ukrainian.
Daniel Dubois, the holder of the IBF belt stepped into the ring as Usyk was being interviewed by the television broadcasters, to call Usyk out for a second – this time unification – contest. Usyk immediately agreed, which shows the kind of champion the Ukrainian remains.
If Dubois is triumphant in his own title defence in Riyadh on February 22 in an enticing contest with Joseph Parker, we may witness that showdown next summer. And yet, Dubois-Parker could go either way. In truth, Usyk could consider stopping now – he turns 38 in January – and be considered as the standout heavyweight fighter of the era.
If the careers of some in the division are reaching their zenith, the audience at the Kingdom Arena witnessed the rising star of the division in Moses Itauma, the young Briton who knocked out Australian Demsey McKean in the first round. He did it in 1min 57sec in a statement that reverberated across the boxing world. Itauma is now 11-0, with nine knockouts. He is a southpaw with devastating power. In a week’s time, he turns 20.
Promoted by Warren, Moses is set to take over the division. “If he keeps going like this, he could be the world champion in a year. But we won’t rush him …” Warren has said.
The overriding aura Itauma brings? That boxing is a young man’s game, and we are witnessing the emergence of a special talent. A talent which might just make the elder statesmen of the division – Usyk, Fury, Joshua – reposition their plans.
A body language expert says Tyson Fury’s behavior showed he was not confident about winning the Oleksandr Usyk rematch.
Fury suffered his second loss to the Ukrainian, losing a unanimous decision. It rules out any hope or need for a trilogy fight, as Usyk will go down as the best heavyweight of this era. Fury looked much more comfortable in the build-up compared to the first bout, raising hopes he could win. In the first fight, Fury showed visible signs that he was not 100 percent in the right frame of mind. During the kick-off press conference, he butted heads with Usyk, trying to exert his physical advantage over him.
But the Ukrainian stood his ground, showing he was not going to be intimidated. During the final face-off in the presser for the first fight, Fury refused to look at Usyk. Usyk stood alone at the face-off, staring directly at Fury, whose focus was on the crowd. Usyk ultimately won that fight via a split decision.
In the rematch, Fury’s demeanour changed. He was much more on the offensive, saying he would knock out Usyk.
During their final face-off, he locked eyes with Usyk, and the two stared each other down for over ten minutes. As they were being separated, Fury fired verbal shots at Usyk, who once again refused to back down. But when it came to the fight, Judi James noticed something different. She felt Fury’s sudden gasp of air before the fight began, showed a fighter who was looking for this to be over as soon as possible. Perhaps that was a sign he was not ready to do whatever it took to get the win.
“There was one key gesture though that seemed to signal a motivational glitch or problem and which acted as a red flag in terms of his chances of winning this fight. A very chilling gesture of the puffing out of air as he got down to the business of the fight suggested he just wanted to get it over with, whereas successful boxers tend to look excited by and longing for the fight itself. ‘Some of the best boxers have approached their fights looking like dogs pulling to get off the leash and get stuck in,” Judi James said
James was also not convinced by Fury’s victory celebrations in the aftermath. The following picture shows him with both arms aloft in the air as a sign he was confident of a win. But the wider body language may suggest this was an act to convince himself he had done enough. Tyson was also adamant he won the first fight, with many clearing seeing Usyk as the winner. The boxing stats had Usyk as the winner again. He landed more punches, with 179, compared to Fury’s 142. Even the AI scoring had Usyk winning 118-112.
“The way he then rubbed his nose in a cut-off gesture made the victory displays look like acted bravado though and he stared at the press with wide, rounded eyes from a battered face while his deep sighs registered sadness. ‘His “I won that fight” came with a smacking of the lips and then a lip clamp to suggest he’d hear no argument. ‘But then the hurt began to show. Fury rocked in his chair in a self-comfort ritual and in a micro-gesture of pain he shook his head from side to side, rubbed his mouth and closed his eyes in a wince,” James added
Thriving in a sport that places limitations on those who are perceived to be less fortunate requires more than just a natural athleticism. The new sports biopic, The Fire Inside, which chronicles the origin story of boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, showcases how she embraced both her strengths and limitations to become an Olympic gold medal-winning athlete.
The Fire Inside marks the feature film directorial debut of Black Panther cinematographer, Rachel Morrison. The new drama was penned by Oscar-winning screenwriter, Barry Jenkins. The scribe served as a producer, while Morrison and Shields acted as executive producers, on the movie.
The Fire Inside tells the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields (played by Ryan Destiny in an Independent Spirit Award-nominated role). She has become considered by many to be the greatest female boxer of all time.
Claressa, a high school junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield (portrayed by Brian Tyree Henry in a Gotham Award-nominated performance), pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the pinnacle of success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal, and the real fight has only just begun.
Amazon MGM Studios will distribute The Fire Inside in theaters on December 25, 2024. To help promote the biopic’s release, Morrison, Destiny, Henry and Shields generously took the time recently to talk about the feature and the boxer’s career during an press conference over Zoom.
Q: Rachel, The Fire Inside marks your directorial debut and what a story to start with. What was it about Claressa’s journey and her story that made you tap in and say, “This is the story that I want to tell”?
Rachel Morrison: I think it started with the fact that I didn’t know it. Claressa is such a badass force and an incredible athlete, and I follow sports. So for me to not know it, it felt like there was something wrong in the universe. I think Barry (Jenkins) had the same response, which s what inspired him to take on the project as well
I’d been reading for a long time and looking for something that felt meaningful and additive in the universe and that I could be additive to. There were things that I saw from my experiences being a female DP (Director of Photography) that I could put into it, as well. But really it’s just Claressa’s story deserved to be out there.
Q: Ryan, where were you in the world when The Fire Inside came to you? What was that audition process like? Why did you say, “I have to be a part of this film?”
Ryan Destiny: I think I was in L.A. I was working on another project at the time, and this one came in just like any other project does with your team to audition. So I just went in for it and I did my self-tape. I didn’t think too much of it because I just knew how competitive it would be. I knew how special the project was and how incredible everyone was that was behind it.
So it was just a thing where I was like, let’s just see how this goes and let’s see what happens. So it was fairly normal, just like any other thing you do. Then the callbacks came and I was really shocked that that even happened itself. So it was really cool. But I was out in L.A. during that time in my life.
Q: Was this a story that you were familiar with, too, or was it a lot of new information for you?
Ryan Destiny: It was a lot of new information. So you know, I think for all of us, it was just unbelievable that we didn’t know much about the story. I think that that’s also for other people who need to really see this film and get familiar with, and understand, the history that she’s made and how iconic she is. So it was just interesting to learn so much more when I had to audition.
Daniel Dubois crashed Oleksandr Usyk’s celebration speech to demand a rematch with the Ukrainian after his victory over Tyson Fury. The British challenger, who lost to Usyk in August 2023, infiltrated the interview and grabbed the mic from Usyk to demand his “revenge.” Usyk beat Fury 116-112 in their rematch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday to retain his heavyweight titles.
Daniel Dubois crashed Oleksandr Usyk’s celebration speech after the latter’s victory over Tyson Fury, demanding a rematch with the Ukrainian.
Usyk was fresh from winning a unanimous decision victory over Fury in the long-anticipated rematch between the two, retaining his heavyweight titles in Riyadh with a 116-112 scorecard.
Dubois, who picked up the IBF title by beating Filip Hrgovic in June, was in attendance at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia.
“Usyk! I want my revenge. I want my revenge Usyk,” Dubois said after grabbing the mic.
“Well done on tonight, well done on tonight, god bless. I want my revenge for the robbery last time. Let’s get it. Let’s go.
“Where’s Frank? Make it happen.”
Usyk beat Dubois in August 2023 in Poland, stopping the young Brit in the ninth round of a bruising fight.
The fifth round saw Dubois drop Usyk to the canvas with a punch on the beltline that was ruled as a low blow.
After being given four minutes to recover, Usyk drew on his superior experience and determination to beat Dubois into submission.
When asked about a fight with Dubois, Usyk simply said: “Yeah, no problem.
“I am ready, next fight no problem. Now I wanna (go) back home, a little bit of rest, and I’m ready.
“Your excellency, make me a fight with Daniel Dubois.”
‘Thank you God’
Prior to Dubois’ interruption, Usyk was asked his thoughts on the judge’s scorecard for his rematch with Fury, which he won 116-12.
“I win. It’s good,” he said in the ring. “I’m not a judge, I’m a sportsman, I’m a athlete. It’s not my deal. I win, thank you God.
When asked how he keeps improving even as he approaches his 38th birthday, he joked, “I don’t know. Maybe I am training, preparing well. My wife helped me.
“It’s a very happy day. My sons won competitions too in judo. My son talked to me ‘Hey papa, you’re next.’ I say ‘Okay, I try’.”
Talking about Fury, who did not stay in the ring for an interview after the fight, the 37-year-old said:
“He is a great fighter, he is a great opponent. An unbelievable 24 rounds for my career. Thank you so much.”
While speaking in Ukrainian, he added: “I want to devote this victory to my mother. She’s worrying about me all the time and I want to say to her thank you very much for everything you’ve done for me,
“I give all this to her and all mothers of Ukraine.”
Iron Mike gives one-word verdict on Hotboxin’ podcast future
Almost 257 episodes later and a journey spanning almost five years, the Hotboxin’ podcast saw its closure earlier this year
The beloved podcast hosted by Mike Tyson had everything you would have liked: celebrity guests, unfiltered conversations and your favorite “Iron Mike“. But since it closed, fans have been wondering if there will be another edition of the show. Will the podcast return? The former world champion has dropped an important hint.
Will Mike Tyson’s Hotboxin’ be reborn?
Tyson, 58, had to end Hotboxin’ due to his other commitments. But his scheduled fight with Jake Paul was like a death sentence
He was finding it difficult to juggle his business ventures and the Hotboxin’ podcast. The added burden of training had a knock-on effect on the recording of the podcast. He stated earlier this year:
So when Tyson, 50-7, appeared in an interview with FOX, the co-hosts were excited about the recent commercial success of the Paul vs. Tyson fight. They also wanted to know if the new popularity could help revive Hotboxin’. To this, Tyson explained how the podcast started. He said: “This is something fun. My wife got me into this. Yeah, it’s not that it doesn’t drive me crazy, I don’t love it. I love it like crazy. But I’m really good at it, yeah.”
After this, Brooklyn gave his one-word response as to whether fans could expect anything from the podcast soon. He continued: “Yes.” But will former co-host Eben Britton also return? We’re not sure. Before the podcast is dated, one might expect Tyson to appear in another Netflix venture: his docuseries.
Mike Tyson returns to the spotlight on Netflix
Thank you for watching
The three-part docuseries will recall Tyson’s famous and infamous accolades and acts, which made him one of the most popular faces of all time. In the same conversation, he addressed the subject and added: “We’re working on it right now. We’re doing everything that’s about to come out of my new show. It will be on Netflix.”
When the series was announced, Tyson told Netflix: “Most people are too afraid to look at their lives objectively, wanting to paint themselves as the hero of their own story… Having the opportunity to share my story through the thoughtful lens of my growth and maturity… will be a challenging, but very welcome journey.”
You can expect three-hour-long episodes, which will consist of interviews with Tyson, his confidants and colleagues, and will give you an insight into his personal life and how he and his close friends saw his illustrious life unfold.
What do you think of these comments from Mike Tyson? Do you think fans will get another edition of Hotboxin’?
Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia remain rivals despite their blockbuster fight a couple of years ago.
It was one of the most anticipated fights of the year when Davis and Garcia squared off at the Barclays Center in New York in April 2023.
‘Tank’ took full control of the bout in just the second round when he dropped Garcia, before then earning another knockdown in the seventh after a big body shot, with ‘King Ry’ unable to recover and beat the count, handing Davis the victory.
While several years may have passed since their first meeting, both men appear keen to step back into the ring once again, although there are differing terms for how they want it to play out.
It began when Garcia laid out on social media that he would want the fight to be at a catchweight between super-lightweight and welterweight, after their first fight was held at a 136lb catchweight and ‘King Ry’ felt he was weight drained in the bout.
“Everyone wanna talk about the little stupid Tank. Let’s fight. Enough of that funny talk. Come see me at 144 and let’s stop the talk.
Davis has since responded whilst speaking to ESNews, insisting that the fight would have to take place at the official super-lightweight weight class of 140lbs.
“Yeah [it’s a massive fight]. But not at 143 [or 144], why 143? Probably at 140, that’s the next weight class up from 135, it’s the weight class he fights at. Let’s do 140 and he can rehydrate back up to 150, or the most 152, I’m 135 brother.”
If a Garcia rematch can’t be made, another potential option for Davis is a showdown against Shakur Stevenson, and ‘Tank’ has discussed the prospect of the fight happening.
The multimillionaire former boxer found a passion in real estate
After a long search, Floyd Mayweather Jr found a luxurious apartment in Manhattan. The former world boxing champion already has another passion in real estate investment, and would be paying the figure of $100,000 per month for this residence.
“Money” assures that she moves from place to place for commercial reasons, as most of her money is invested in New York and she needed to settle in those lands
By the way, it is not the first property he has near that county, according to several media reports, Floyd has a huge room in the Baccarat Hotel and Residences.
All the details of the luxury apartment
Apparently, this residence was in the power of Travis Kalanick, former CEO of Uber.
The apartment has a rooftop pool. It is practically a huge 30-story building, it was built in 2016 by the Italian architect, Renzo Piano
It seems that it was quite a challenge for Mayweather to find the perfect place, as he also took a look at a building with furniture at $95,000 per month on Leonard St, Tribeca and a five-bedroom penthouse worth $80,000 per month near the same location, but in the end he decided to go for another option.
Is Floyd returning to boxing in 2025?
On the other hand, it is said that in Saudi Arabia they want to convince “Money” to participate in the Riyadh Season with an exhibition boxing match. According to some reports, his opponent could be Mario Barrios, and the card could have a legends theme and the idea is that it will take place in March 2025
If the money is right, it seems that Floyd Mayweather Jr. would return to the ring with an exhibition, something that happened during 2024 with his fights with John Gotti III.
Terence Crawford is currently 41 fights undefeated, nine off Floyd Mayweather‘s incredible record of 50-0.
The switch hitter from Omaha, Nebraska is a four-weight world champion with 31 stoppages to his name. He most recently won the WBA World Title in the super-welterweight ranks with a decision win over Israil Madrimov. That was the fourth division in which Crawford has won belts. He has also been undisputed in two – one of only three men to achieve that in the four-belt era.
As Crawford continues to stake his claim as the best of a generation, fans are debating how he fares compared to the all-time greats. One intriguing fantasy match-up is against the last dominant American, Floyd Mayweather.
‘Money’ Mayweather famously retired undefeated in 2017 as one of the most lucrative stars the sport of boxing has ever seen. The defensive master beat the likes of Canelo Alvarez, Manny Pacquiao, Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya. Would Crawford be on that list if the pair had crossed paths?
Asked on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast how he would do against Mayweather, Crawford didn’t hesitate to back himself.
Crawford’s trainer Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre shares the same prediction, though he admits he is, like Crawford, biased.
“There are two things. For one, Crawford is like my son, so I’m going to always go with him.
“Terence has that dog in him.”Terence didn’t get to where he is now overnight, it’s taken years and years.
“But, if you put ‘Bud’ in there in his prime with Mayweather in his prime, then of course Mayweather is gonna be the smarter one, but I think ‘Bud’ will have more dog in him.”
Whether or not ‘Bud’ could break the famed defences of Mayweather down will always be resigned to debate. Meanwhile, Crawford chases his own fight with Canelo which would require him to jump up a further two weight classes.
The boxing world witnessed something special last Saturday as Oleksandr Usyk faced Tyson Fury in what fans called “the fight of the millennium.”
The 37-year-old Ukrainian didn’t just defend his heavyweight titles – the WBA Super, WBC, WBO, and The Ring – he proved why he’s at the top of the sport.
Their first bout in May ended with Usyk winning by split decision, leaving room for debate. This time was different. After twelve rounds of masterful boxing, all judges agreed: Usyk wasn’t just the winner, he was the better fighter.
His journey to the top has been a wild ride – full of unlikely twists, perfect timing, and the kind of determination that turns sparring partners into champions.
Before diving into his story, you need to understand something about Usyk – he’s probably the most entertaining champion boxing has seen in years.
“How do you feel?” asked a journalist before a 2015 fight. “I am very feel,” replied Oleksandr Usyk with a grin, creating boxing’s most endearing catchphrase.
Years later, when even Cristiano Ronaldo referenced this moment in conversation with Usyk, the boxer – now much better in English – smiled and repeated his famous phrase. Just for fun. Because that’s who Usyk is.
Usyk wasn’t always the star of the show. He was just a sparring partner on the Ukrainian national team back then. But then fate played its hand—one guy got caught doping, another broke his hand, and suddenly Usyk got his shot.
But here’s the kicker – he was fighting guys 7-8 kilograms heavier because he didn’t have time to bulk up. And he was winning.
This pattern of turning challenges into opportunities would define his career. After a disappointing second-round loss to Italy’s Clemente Russo in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Usyk responded by winning both European and World Championships. The story came full circle at the 2012 London Olympics, where he defeated Russo for the gold medal.
His training methods are kind of insane
Usyk’s approach to training seems designed to redefine what’s possible. While most people struggle to hold their breath for a minute, this man casually goes without air for 4 minutes and 40 seconds—longer than some sea creatures! While larger dolphins like the bottlenose can stay underwater for 8-10 minutes, Usyk’s lung capacity actually surpasses smaller cetaceans like the Maui dolphin, which typically surfaces every 2-3 minutes.
Before fighting Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia, he cycled 100 kilometers in 40-degree Celsius heat. He once swam 10 kilometers over five hours before a London press conference. Because apparently, regular training is too mainstream for Usyk.
If you thought Usyk’s training was unconventional, wait till you see his ring entrances. This guy doesn’t just walk to the ring – he turns every entrance into a performance art piece.
For his first clash with Fury in May 2024, he showed up dressed as a 17th-century Ukrainian Cossack warrior. We’re talking full traditional gear inspired by historical leader Bohdan Khmelnytskyi himself.
But he wasn’t done yet. For their December rematch, Usyk took things to a whole new level. Picture this: he walks out wearing this incredibly detailed Ukrainian outfit while a live choir belts out an ancient Cossack battle hymn mixed with techno beats. His robe was decked out in blue and yellow patterns with a massive Tryzub symbol – Ukraine’s national emblem. Because apparently, regular entrance music is also too mainstream for Usyk.
Here’s something most people don’t know: Usyk nearly went to theater school instead of boxing. Boxing won out, but he never abandoned his artistic ambitions. After starting with a role in a 2017 Ukrainian film, The Fight Rules, and voicing cartoon characters, he’s about to hit Hollywood big time.
In 2025, you’ll see him alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in The Smashing Machine, where he portrays a Ukrainian MMA fighter.
And his first love was actually football
Growing up in Simferopol, now Russian-occupied Crimea, young Usyk dreamed of football glory until financial constraints forced him to quit the sport. But his passion never faded.
Today, he’s not just a fan—he signed a professional contract with a Ukrainian club, FC Polissia Zhytomyr, and made his debut in 2022.
These days, he’s also a businessman
The recent bout with Fury earned Usyk $114 million, but he isn’t just about boxing money. He’s built a business empire that employs a hundred people. He’s got merchandise lines, a promotion company, and even created a social network for boxers to find sparring partners.
You can’t miss Usyk in the ring – his traditional Cossack hairstyle(the mohawk-like “oseledets”) has become his signature.
He’s transformed the Ukrainian warrior tradition into a global brand, introducing millions to Ukrainian culture through both his appearance and his victory Hopak dance – as Ukrainian as borsch.
Beyond the ring, Usyk is a family man – a devoted father of four and a man of deep faith. He’s emerged as one of Ukraine’s most powerful voices on the global stage, especially as his country fights against Russian aggression.
******
Here’s another thing about Usyk – he could have had an easier path. When Russia occupied Crimea in 2014, many athletes from the peninsula faced a choice. Some stayed, some took Russian citizenship, some left. Usyk packed his bags and moved his family to Kyiv.
It wasn’t a comfortable choice. He left behind his home, his training base, and many friends. But when asked about it, Usyk answered in his characteristically straightforward way: “I’m from Crimea. But Crimea is Ukraine.” Simple as that.
Now look at him today – strutting into the ring in wildly creative outfits that always feature Ukrainian elements, from traditional patterns to Cossack symbols. It’s not just for show. Every entrance tells the same story: this is who I am, this is what I choose to be – a Ukrainian athlete bringing his nation’s fighting spirit to the global stage. Very feel, indeed.
