The WBA Super, IBF, WBO and IBO world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk, a Ukrainian, objected that the events taking place now in Ukraine have added motivation to him before the rematch with Anthony Joshua.

" When so many people are suffering, I can't imagine how it can have any positive effect.. I was there for a month and saw with my own eyes what happened. Missiles flew, combat aircraft. It's terrible,"

After the start of a full-scale Russian invasion, Usyk entered the territorial defense, but later received permission to leave the country and said that he would be preparing for revenge from Anthony Joshua.

Usyk vs Joshua will take place on August 20 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.. On the eve of the official announcement of revenge between the Ukrainian and the British.

Recall that on the night of September 26, 2021, Usyk defeated Joshua in London. by unanimous decision - 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113, and won the IBF, WBO, WBA and IBO heavyweight titles. After that, the Briton activated the option of revenge, prescribed in the contract for the first fight..

So in the rematch, all the titles that the Ukrainian took away from the Brit last year will be at stake..

The 35-year-old Usyk has 19 wins (13 by knockout) in 19 fights. He spent three of them in the heavyweight division.. Before that, Alexander became the absolute world champion in the cruiserweight (weight category up to 90.7 kg), having won all four of the most prestigious belts there..

32-year-old Joshua has 24 wins (22 by KO) and two losses.. For the first time, AJ lost in June 2019 to Andy Ruiz, but in December of the same year he defeated the Mexican in a rematch and regained his titles.