Boxing: For kyiv, Usyk demonstrated that Ukraine could win

"A very important victory" for Ukraine at war: from President Zelensky to the soldiers on the front, including artists, Ukraine greeted Ukraine. enthusiastically his boxer Oleksandr Usyk, who became undisputed champion on Sunday heavy ones.

The 37-year-old boxer, who briefly served as a soldier in the Ukrainian army after the Russian invasion of February 2022, spoke of a “great moment” both “for me, for my family, for my country” after his victory on points against the British Tyson Fury, Sunday in Riyadh.

“The Ukrainians hit hard! And in the end, all our opponents will be defeated”, quickly reacted the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram. The success of the unified champion of the four heavyweight belts shows that “Ukrainian endurance and strength give birth to Ukrainian victory”, added the head of state of the country at war.

The mayor of kyiv Vitali Klitschko, a former world heavyweight boxer, also said that Usyk had “shown to the world that Ukrainians are capable of defeating a strong opponent”, a “very important victory for Ukraine today.” 'today'.

His brother Wladimir Klitschko, also a former world heavyweight champion and who attended the fight, hailed a “historic victory” for Usyk for whom ” losing was not an option.” “I am very proud of Oleksandr Usyk and very proud to be Ukrainian.”

– Fury not very fair play –

On the side of the armed forces, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk estimated that “Ukraine shows once again that it is a strong nation capable of fighting for its identity , its language, its culture and its traditions”.

Oleksandr Usyk lands a hook in the face of Tyson Fury during their world heavyweight championship on May 19 in Riyadh. © AFP – Féché NURELDINE

A combat unit posted an enthusiastic message: “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to those who defend it and those who glorify it!”.

For TV host and actor Sergiy Prytula, Usyk “won today. And with him, Ukraine won. And when Ukraine wins, he and all of us will win with it! Congratulations to the champion absolute!”

“Thank you! We are proud”, soberly commented singer Jamala, winner of the 2016 Eurovision contest.

By adding the WBC title of his opponent of the day to his WBA, WBO and IBF trophies, Oleksandr Usyk is the first undisputed champion in the category since Lennox Lewis, who reached the Grail in 1999 in Las Vegas in the outcome of his victory against Evander Holyfield.

Not very fair play in defeat, Tyson Fury, 35, described a “fantastic fight with Oleksandr” , believing however that he deserved to win instead of Usyk, and that the decision could have been influenced by the geopolitical context and the war in Ukraine.

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