OLEKSANDR USYK will be “fighting for the whole democratic world” when he rematches Anthony Joshua.
The undefeated Ukrainian enters his summer showdown with AJ as a beacon of hope for his war-torn homeland, which has been gripped by an illegal Russian invasion.
MARC ASPLANDOleksandr Usyk will renew his rivalry with Anthony Joshua this summer
Usyk will be flying the flag for his war-torn homeland of UkraineRICHARD PELHAM
[email protected]And promoter Alexander Krassyuk insists his countryman will be fighting for “the whole democratic world”
And for the slick southpaw, his second clash with the golden boy of British boxing is much more than a maiden defence of the WBA, WBO and IBF titles.
Promoter Alexander Krassyuk told Rob Tebbut: “He is not fighting for himself.
“He’s not fighting for glory or for fame. He’s not just fighting for his personal legacy.
“He’s fighting for the whole country. He’s fighting for the whole democratic world.”
Former undisputed cruiserweight king Usyk, 35, has set up a foundation to try to help those displaced by the war.
Krassyuk said: “He understands that he is fighting at an exclusively high level.
“The whole world is going to be sitting and watching this fight and whatever messages he sends to the world will definitely be accepted.
“A part of that we’re working now on a strategy to fund some extraordinary money to help Ukraine to help Ukrainian refugees, to help Ukrainian people survive and stay strong in these hard times.”
Usyk took up arms against the Russians but was given permission to leave the warzone to prepare for his second dance with AJ.
Leaving his homeland, however, was not an easy decision for the proud Ukrainian
Krassyuk said: “It was a very difficult decision to leave Ukraine. Extremely difficult.
“[But] the announcements he can make through the public through what he does is just extraordinary.
“You can’t lose that chance.
“You can’t stay away from an exclusive opportunity to say to the whole world, to appeal to the whole world, that we need to unite around my homeland, we need to unite around Ukraine and to stop the war and let all Ukrainians come home safe and sound.”
Usyk vs Joshua 2 is tentatively slated to take place in the Middle East on July 23, although a venue has not yet been finalised.
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