The Albany Gazette - Usyk -- pugilist who kept Ukrainian spirits high in darkest days

Not that he is retiring just yet -- only giving up his belts.

Although he was dissuaded from taking up arms in 2022, he told AFP last year that he had been inspired by "both the heroes of the past and the modern Ukrainian heroes who are now defending our homeland in the armed forces".

Usyk can thank his late father, also called Oleksandr, for his extraordinary resilience in brutal bouts with two outstanding British opponents, twice beating Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Usyk has been undisputed world champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight and boasts an unblemished record of 25 victories, including 16 knock-outs, in as many fights.

Usyk senior -- whom his son says was his seminal infuence -- was wounded twice fighting for the Soviet Army during their 10-year-long occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.

"My father was a tough man, indeed," said Usyk.

"He taught me iron discipline, but he also taught me to believe in myself.

"He was the first to tell me that I would become a champion –- when no-one else believed it, and everyone looked at him as if he were crazy."

His father -- whom Usyk recalled would have nightmares and call out the names of comrades who had died in Afghanistan -- lived just long enough to see his son crowned Olympic heavyweight champion in London in 2012.

"I inherited my fighting spirit from him," said Usyk, who returned from London and placed his gold medal in his father's lifeless hand.

- 'God forbid' -

Usyk, who at times has cried recalling that moment, has never shied away from promoting Ukraine before or after bouts.

He held up a sabre which belonged to 17th century Ukrainian leader Ivan Mazepa after his victory over Fury in Riyadh in December, 2024.

"It is crucial to show that Ukraine is not Russia," he explained.

"That it is a nation with a 300-year history of resisting the Russian Empire, no matter what name it has taken in different historical periods."

Usyk has also shown his generous side, partly funding the rebuilding of a house which belonged to a friend of his who was killed by the Russians.

Oleksiy Dzhunkivskyi, a former teammate of Usyk, was shot in the hall of the five storey building in Irpin, a suburb of Kyiv.

"I randomly chose this house," he told AFP in 2023.

"When we came to look at it and saw how destroyed the house was, I was a little surprised.

"In this house there was a boxing gym of my good friend. He and I were in the national team, we went to boxing competitions together."

Overall Usyk's foundation has raised millions of euros from various donors to support the military, reconstruction efforts, and humanitarian projects.

But the married father of four, who still lives in Ukraine when not either at a training camps or a bout, would have been defying his father's wishes had he joined up with the military.

Usyk's father never talked directly about his experiences in Afghanistan but his message to his son was clear.

"He said the inhuman things that happen in the war are terrible and God forbid that this should happen, for example, with you, so that you either went to war or saw a war," said Usyk.

Nonetheless,Usyk has chosen to keep Ukraine's plight in the spotlight.

"Representing Ukraine on the global sports stage, spreading the truth about the war, and providing financial support to our army and civilians –- this is also a powerful motivation for me to stay in professional boxing a little longer," he said last year.

Now there just remains the 'last dance', as he put it, before he hangs up his gloves -- it has been quite some dance card.

(N.Miller--TAG)