Tag: Russian invasion

The bigger fight: Ukrainian boxers doing their part to fend off Russians

The bigger fight: Ukrainian boxers are doing their part to fend off the invading Russians.

Four of the most successful Ukrainian boxers are in a more-daunting fight than they’ve ever known.

Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko are among those fighting along side their countrymen in the battle against Russian invaders.

Vitali Klitschko is mayor of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

The Russians began what President Vladimir Putin has called “special military operations” on Feb. 24, which has resulted in massive loss of life and destruction in Ukraine. And no end is in site.

Here is the what the boxers had to say:

VITALI KLITSCHKO

“Thousands, already tens of thousands, are killed in this war against Ukraine. And this number will unfortunately only grow,” Klitschko told Reuters. “We are not going to surrender. We have nowhere to retreat.”

“The situation is tense, people are worried. The city needs peace and peaceful skies. … Kyiv residents have been in their basements nonstop for a week now because of air raid alarm going off all the time.”

He added, speaking directly to Russian citizens: “You are an instrument at the hands of one man (Putin) with one ambition: to resurrect the Soviet Union. … For ambitions of one man, we are paying a very high price.”

Klitschko said in an interview with Sky News, evidently referring to himself and/or those around him: “We killed some people, I guess six people last night.”

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

“It’s complete madness. … What is happening is terror. It’s happening in 2022. It’s something one’s mind doesn’t comprehend. You don’t know if you’re going to make it through the day tomorrow.

“Those nights, hearing explosions all night long and shooting in the street, that does make you feel worried.

“We’re really counting hours here. We have no time. We need to act now, we need to stop this madness. All the money that Russia is getting is being used to buy lethal weapons that are killing Ukrainians.”

OLEKSANDR USYK

The heavyweight titleholder spoke to CNN through a translator.

“If they will want to take my life, or the lives of my close ones, I will have to do it. But I don’t want that. I don’t want to shoot, I don’t want to kill anybody, but if they will be killing me, I will have no choice.”

“Maybe, it’ll sound sentimental,” he explained, “but my soul belongs to the Lord and my body and my honor belong to my country, to my family. So there is no fear, absolutely no fear. There’s just bafflement. How could this be in the 21st century?”

“The bombing around is crazy. They just bombed the city of Mariupol, one of my friends got a rocket in his roof. [The Russians] are not playing games.”

“Russian people don’t really know exactly what’s going on here. They’re not seeing what’s going on. They are victims of their President [Putin].”

“I really don’t know when I’m going to be stepping back in the ring. My country and my honor are more important to me than a championship belt.”

VASILIY LOMACHENKO

The former three-division titleholder hasn’t been quoted but has joined a defense battalion. Images of him in full uniform have been posted on social media (see below).

Mykola Kovalchuk, president of WBC Ukraine, expressed his admiration for the boxers.

Said Kovalchuk: “We are so proud of our boxers, our real champions in boxing and champions in this war. We are proud to be Ukrainians.”

The bigger fight: Ukrainian boxers doing their part to fend off Russians

The bigger fight: Ukrainian boxers are doing their part to fend off the invading Russians.

Four of the most successful Ukrainian boxers are in a more-daunting fight than they’ve ever known.

Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko are among those fighting along side their countrymen in the battle against Russian invaders.

Vitali Klitschko is mayor of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

The Russians began what President Vladimir Putin has called “special military operations” on Feb. 24, which has resulted in massive loss of life and destruction in Ukraine. And no end is in site.

Here is the what the boxers had to say:

VITALI KLITSCHKO

“Thousands, already tens of thousands, are killed in this war against Ukraine. And this number will unfortunately only grow,” Klitschko told Reuters. “We are not going to surrender. We have nowhere to retreat.”

“The situation is tense, people are worried. The city needs peace and peaceful skies. … Kyiv residents have been in their basements nonstop for a week now because of air raid alarm going off all the time.”

He added, speaking directly to Russian citizens: “You are an instrument at the hands of one man (Putin) with one ambition: to resurrect the Soviet Union. … For ambitions of one man, we are paying a very high price.”

Klitschko said in an interview with Sky News, evidently referring to himself and/or those around him: “We killed some people, I guess six people last night.”

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

“It’s complete madness. … What is happening is terror. It’s happening in 2022. It’s something one’s mind doesn’t comprehend. You don’t know if you’re going to make it through the day tomorrow.

“Those nights, hearing explosions all night long and shooting in the street, that does make you feel worried.

“We’re really counting hours here. We have no time. We need to act now, we need to stop this madness. All the money that Russia is getting is being used to buy lethal weapons that are killing Ukrainians.”

OLEKSANDR USYK

The heavyweight titleholder spoke to CNN through a translator.

“If they will want to take my life, or the lives of my close ones, I will have to do it. But I don’t want that. I don’t want to shoot, I don’t want to kill anybody, but if they will be killing me, I will have no choice.”

“Maybe, it’ll sound sentimental,” he explained, “but my soul belongs to the Lord and my body and my honor belong to my country, to my family. So there is no fear, absolutely no fear. There’s just bafflement. How could this be in the 21st century?”

“The bombing around is crazy. They just bombed the city of Mariupol, one of my friends got a rocket in his roof. [The Russians] are not playing games.”

“Russian people don’t really know exactly what’s going on here. They’re not seeing what’s going on. They are victims of their President [Putin].”

“I really don’t know when I’m going to be stepping back in the ring. My country and my honor are more important to me than a championship belt.”

VASILIY LOMACHENKO

The former three-division titleholder hasn’t been quoted but has joined a defense battalion. Images of him in full uniform have been posted on social media (see below).

Mykola Kovalchuk, president of WBC Ukraine, expressed his admiration for the boxers.

Said Kovalchuk: “We are so proud of our boxers, our real champions in boxing and champions in this war. We are proud to be Ukrainians.”

Vitali Klitschko says he will take up arms against Russian invaders

Former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko fought in the ring. Now he’s willing to fight for his country. Klitschko, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, said on the ITV “Good Morning Britian” show that he will take up arms against the …

Former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko fought in the ring. Now he’s willing to fight for his country.

Klitschko, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, said on the ITV “Good Morning Britian” show that he will take up arms against the Russian forces that have invaded his country if necessary.

The Russians were advancing toward Kiev as of Thursday evening.

“I believe in Ukraine, I believe in my country and I believe in my people,” said Klitschko, 50. “I will be fighting. I don’t have another choice. I have to do that.”

Vitali and younger brother Wladimir, also a former champion, released a video on Thursday pleading for the world to see the futility of the invasion.

“I call on international partners to look at the tragedy that is happening now in Ukraine and this senseless war isn’t going to have winners, but losers,” Wladimir Klitschko said. “Do not allow what is happening in Ukraine, do not allow what is happening in Europe and the world.

“United we are strong. We support Ukraine. Thank you.”