- Oleksandr Usyk will return to the ring on December 21 to face Tyson Fury again
- Usyk beat Fury last time out to become the undisputed heavyweight champion
- Join Mail+ for more exclusive scoops, in-depth reporting and analysis ahead of the heavily anticipated Fury-Usyk rematch on Saturday
Ahead of his fight against Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk opened a heartfelt letter from a Ukrainian soldier fighting on the frontline.
The Ukrainian beat the Gypsy King on points earlier this year to become the undisputed world champion, coming back from a rocky few rounds in the middle of the bout to finish strongly.
Indeed, Usyk almost put Fury away in the ninth round of an absorbing fight, rocking the Brit with a flurry of 14 unanswered punches which left his opponent leaning on the ropes for support.
The 36-year-old somehow survived the onslaught and made it to the end of the contest, only to lose on points, but has a shot at redemption on Saturday when he will be looking to make up for his only career defeat to date.
Ahead of the bout, Usyk sat down for an exclusive interview with Mail Sport where he opened up on his training regime, previewed the fight and opened a letter from a Ukrainian soldier.
The letter read: ‘Dear Mr. Oleksandr. My name is also Oleksandr, my callsign is ‘Shket (Kid/Lad)’. I am a fighter of the tactical special forces unit GRIM of the 41st separate brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Usyk has opened a letter from a Ukrainian soldier fighting on the frontline
Mail Sport joined Usyk in camp ahead of his rematch with Tyson Fury on December 21
‘My brothers and I watch all your fights whenever possible and wholeheartedly root for you. We are proud that the glory of Ukrainian boxing is now resounding so loudly. It has always been very important, and now every victory of Ukraine is priceless.
‘We know what hard work is and what every victory is worth, in the ring or in the steppes of Donbas.
‘My brothers and I defended Kyiv, then fought at Bakhmut, liberated Kherson. You inspire us, and we will be worthy of Ukrainian glory and all who work for this.
‘We are rooting for you. We wish you victory and success. This time we will root for you again. I hope you will feel our support even from afar. All our efforts will lead to the main thing – to our Common victory!
‘We keep our fingers crossed for you, we pray, we wish you success! Together to victory!’
As Usyk carefully unfolded the letter, he took a deep breath before reading it aloud.
The soldier’s words were raw and heartfelt, a deeply personal message of gratitude to Usyk for being a beacon of hope in unimaginable times. In those moments, the chaos around them paused, and Usyk’s triumphs became their light in the darkness.
The Ukrainian heavyweight will be looking for his second victory over the British heavyweight
When Usyk finished reading, he paused, visibly moved. He closed the letter, then opened it again, re-reading the words as if to absorb every line more deeply.
He said: ‘This gives me extra motivation. This is a real man, a real soldier that is supporting my country, that is helping me and the people of Ukraine.
‘I’m very thankful to Oleksandr and our Ukrainian soldiers who are supporting my country and fighting to protect it. I do this for them.’
Back in 2022, Usyk enlisted with the Kyiv Territorial Defence in a heroic bid to protect his homeland after Russia launched its devastating invasion.
