Usyk shares emotional letter from Ukrainian soldier ahead of Fury rematch

Thunder rumbles on two fronts for Oleksandr Usyk: the boxing arena where he prepares to fight Tyson Fury on DAZN PPV this Saturday, and the war-torn fields of his homeland. In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport, he shared a touching moment that transcends just sport. The Ukrainian heavyweight carefully opened a letter from a front-line soldier of the same name, Oleksandr, callsign “Shket.” This fighter of the Ukrainian Armed Forces poured his soul onto 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 cheer for you wholeheartedly.” Those words rang out like shots, full of emotion and pride. The soldier recounted brutal assignments in Kiev, Bakhmut and Kherson, describing how each of Usyk’s victories blazes like a fiery beacon cutting through the darkness of war. “We know what hard work is and how much 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 Kiev Territorial Defense to protect his homeland, heard every syllable as a call to arms. When he finished reading, he looked up, eyes blazing with conviction. “This gives me extra motivation,” he said. “I am very grateful to Oleksandr and our Ukrainian soldiers who support my country and fight to protect it. I do it 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.