OLEKSANDR USYK got Tyson Fury to sign a picture from their first fight – so he can raise funds for the brave soldiers fighting back home.
Usyk was ready to put his boxing career on hold to sign up and defend Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022.
And it took the government to convince the heavyweight hero to continue boxing – beating both Anthony Joshua and Fury in the process.
His May victory over Fury saw Usyk become the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed champion.
Ahead of their December 21 rematch, Usyk rocked up to the pre-fight press conference dressed as Agent 47 from the Hitman video game.
And he carried a mysterious brief case – later revealing a picture of himself landing a brutal punch on Fury was inside it.
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Usyk, 37, then asked Fury, 36, to sign the photo.
But he later revealed plans to sell the picture to raise funds for the brave soldiers fighting on the frontline back home.
He told DAZN: “I sell this picture and help my Ukrainian soldiers.”
Fury looks to avenge the only defeat of his career as an underdog for the first time since his 2020 rematch with Deontay Wilder.
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That ended in a knockout win for Fury – something he is looking to replicate against Usyk.
He said: “It’s actually been about four and a half years. Last time was the Wilder II fight when I was the underdog.
“What’s going through my mind? I’m just looking forward to a fantastic fight. Last time in May it was a fantastic fight.
“Oleksandr won the fight fair and square. [I’m] just looking to put on a great fight again. It was very close last time; he got it by a point.
“A little bit more focus, a little bit more lack of complacency and I should do the job I need to do.
“Nothing drastic has to change. A bit more of the same. A bit more focus, like I say, and I will be victorious.
“I believe it will be my time next time and I believe all things that happen, negative or positive, are lessons.
“We must learn from the things we go through in our lives, and we can only do the best we can do as human beings and as boxers and as fathers and as husbands.
“We can only do the best we can do as men. And what we know how to do best is go in there and knock fuck out of each other in a fight and put on a show for the paying customer.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
