Britain’s Tyson Fury, left, punches Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk during their undisputed heavyweight world championship boxing fight at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
Oleksandr Usyk, the undisputed world heavyweight champion, has spoken about how unifying the four belts in a split decision win over Tyson Fury in May gave Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline something to cheer about. Usyk, 37, will take on Fury, 36 in a rematch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
Usyk said that he had been in touch with Ukrainian soldiers and said what happened when news of his win reached them over a secure communication line.
He talked about soldiers having nicknames like ‘rocket’.
Talking to The Guardian Usyk said: “They would be saying: ‘Rocket, Rocket, can you hear me?’ The intonation was very serious when they first took the phone. They were like: ‘Yes, yes, what’s going on? What do we need to do?’ They were thinking it was an emergency to do with the war but then they got the information that I was the undisputed champion and they started cheering like: ‘Oh yeah! OK!’”
These soldiers were on the frontline, Usyk said.
Fury had gone 35 fights unbeaten before he lost to Usyk in May.
Usyk also said how his three children, two sons and a daughter, too were overjoyed when he won.
“They were very afraid and nervous, my two boys and my daughter,” Usyk said. “When I got home they said that I am now a real legend. But I tell them that ‘legend’ is very high-class. I don’t like it. I like to just be a simple guy. I don’t want other people to put me as an icon. I don’t need it.”
Usyk was asked about Fury now being more mellow in his pre-fight statements. “Tyson now speaks less than he used to,” Usyk agrees. “Maybe he has changed. Maybe it’s his game. I don’t really care what he says about me. I have no anger towards him, only respect.”
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