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The thunder is ringing on two fronts for Oleksandr Usyk: the boxing ring where he prepares to fight Tyson Fury. DAZN PPV this Saturday, and the war-ravaged fields of his homeland. Exclusively Mail Sport interviewshared a poignant moment that transcended mere sport. The Ukrainian heavyweight carefully unfolded a letter from a front-line soldier bearing the same name, Oleksandr, callsign “Shket.” This Ukrainian Armed Forces fighter poured his soul into the paper, praising Usyk for carrying the torch of Ukrainian boxing.
“Dear Mr. Oleksandr,” the letter began. “My brothers and I watch all your fights whenever possible and root for you wholeheartedly.” Those words rang out like a gunshot, filled with emotion and pride. The soldier recounted brutal posts in Kiev, Bakhmut and Kherson, describing how each of Usyk’s victories shines like a beacon of fire cutting through the darkness of war. “We know what hard work is and what every victory is worth,” he wrote, tying the blood and sweat of the battlefield to the spirit of the boxing ring.
Usyk, who once enlisted in the Territorial Defense of Kyiv to protect his homeland, heard each stroke of the syllable like a call to arms. When he finished reading, he looked up, his eyes burning with conviction. “This gives me extra motivation,” he declared. “I am very grateful to Oleksandr and our Ukrainian soldiers who support my country and fight to protect it. I do this for them.”
Mail Sport joined him in camp ahead of his December 21 rematch with Fury. But beyond the ropes, the conflict in Ukraine looms like a storm cloud.
