As the July 19 title clash against Britain’s Daniel Dubois draws near, Ukraine’s undefeated heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is not just training for glory—he’s carrying a nation on his shoulders.

Usyk, 23-0 with 14 knockouts, is preparing for the high-stakes bout not in a major sports capital, but in Gandia, a quiet, sun-drenched town on Spain’s eastern coast. While it may seem like an unlikely location for a world champion’s training camp, the setting bears an emotional resemblance to southern Crimea—Usyk’s homeland, annexed by Russia in 2014.

Inside his makeshift training facility, Ukrainian pride radiates from every wall. Blue and yellow dominate the color palette. National flags, personal memorabilia, and subtle tributes to Ukraine’s ongoing war effort are everywhere. This isn’t just a gym—it’s a battlefield of memory and motivation.

“It’s difficult to focus when your family is still in Kyiv,” Usyk told Wafricnews Sports. His sons are with him in Spain, safe and playful as they join him on the training grounds. But his wife and two daughters remain back home. “I just know my Ukrainian people and soldiers will protect them,” he said quietly.

Usyk, now a global icon, knows the trauma of war firsthand. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, he joined Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces. He’s visited frontlines. He keeps in close contact with soldiers. He knows what’s happening—often before it hits the headlines.

“The men on the front send me updates directly,” he said. “If something serious happens, I’m told right away.”

Despite choosing to avoid news coverage during training, Usyk remains deeply connected to the fight. He celebrated Ukraine’s daring drone strikes inside Russia with a message of gratitude to Vasyl Malyuk, head of the Security Services. “Boss, great job,” he said, beating his chest in pride.

But perhaps most powerful are his quiet conversations with the very people defending Ukraine. Usyk said they rarely dwell on the horrors they’ve seen. Instead, they ask about him. They want to hear about the next fight, the training, the small details that offer a sliver of normalcy.

“I show them videos,” he smiled. “For a moment, they forget the shelling, the danger. And that’s important.”

Usyk sees this fight not just as a sporting contest, but as a symbol. It’s been over three years since Russia’s invasion escalated, but for him, the war began in 2014 when Crimea was taken—just a year after his professional debut.

That history has shaped his mission. “This war gave me purpose,” he said. “It pushed me to do more for my country.”

Outside the ring, Usyk has used his platform to raise funds for Ukraine, speak out on global stages, and call for more international support—including a bold plea to former U.S. President Donald Trump, inviting him to Kyiv to witness life under bombardment firsthand.

Yet, despite the weight of war, Usyk remains unwavering in his confidence. “One hundred million percent,” he said when asked if he’s ready for Dubois.

With every punch, every round of training, every day spent away from his family in a foreign land that reminds him of home—Usyk is fighting not just for titles, but for the spirit of a nation under siege.

As Ukraine endures, its champion continues to carry both gloves and grief into the ring.


By WafricNews Desk.