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Heavyweight champ latest boxer to take up arms in Ukraine crisis

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·2-min read
Boxer Oleksandr Usyk (pictured left) winning a boxing match and (pictured right) dressed in military gear.
Heavyweight boxer Oleksandr Usyk (pictured) has taken up arms in Ukraine. (Images: Getty Images/Twitter)

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is just the latest sporting icon to join fellow boxers in taking up arms to defend Ukraine following Russia's invasion.

Following a number of legendary Ukraine boxers being pictured joining the crisis frontline, Usyk has now been photographed dressed in military gear back home.

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The undefeated Usyk - 19-0 - recently moved to heavyweight to defeat champion Anthony Joshua to win the IBF, WBO WBA heavyweight belts.

A rematch with Joshua has long been expected, while a unification fight with lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury was also being discussed.

However, Usyk returned to Ukraine - from London - a few days ago and posted a video captioned: "No war".

Later he added: "I’d like to speak to the people of Russia. If we consider ourselves as brothers, orthodox ones. Do not let your children to set out to our country, do not fight with us.

“Also I’m addressing this to the President Vladimir Putin. You can stop this war. Please just sit down and negotiate it with us without claims.

“Our kids, wives, grannies are hiding in the basements… We are here in our own country, we cannot do it other way – we are defending… Stop it! Stop this war.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Usyk. КОТ. Aleksandr (@usykaa)

Ukrainian boxing icons take up arms

The latest image of Usyk is reminiscent of one from lightweight icon Vasily Lomachenko.

Lomachenko, a three-division champ, took a photo dressed in military gear and carrying an assault rifle after he returned to defend his hometown in the Odessa region.

The startling image of the champ, who joined a territorial defence battalion, follows the path of other Ukrainian sport stars helping out in the war-torn nation.

Lomachenko joined retired heavyweight champions Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko in preparing to take up arms in the fight against Russia.

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