The holder of the IBF / WBO / WBA titles in the heavyweight division (over 90.7 kg) Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) gave
interview for the YouTube channel “Visiting Gordon”.
In a long conversation, the Ukrainian champion spoke about the past rematch with former British champion Anthony Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs), some fans’ assessments of the fight, sex during the training camp, the sensational question about Crimea, a possible meeting with Russian President Putin, fans in Russia, taxes in Ukraine and the most cherished dream.
— How many times did you watch your fight in Jeddah from start to finish?
– At the moment there are seven, because yesterday we watched separate rounds.
– What did you say to yourself when you watched this fight?
– When I first looked, I had feelings, because most people said: “Oh, it’s valid. Oh, it’s valid.
— Validolno.
– Do you know why it was valid, Ilyich? Because of the situation in our country. We have a war here. I wanted to win. Agree that insanity when a person writes that they will help Ukraine.
– Of course.
– “Ukraine will be helped, Usyk will be helped, because he is Ukrainian.”
– Of course, insanity.
“It is so unclean inside the head to say such a thing.
Nobody is going to give in. This is a sport of great achievement. I assure you, they came up to me and said: “Listen, here’s the money for you, you have to sell the final.” I say: “Money is very good, but I have a story there.” The dude says: “I understand, denyuzhka is not interested.” I say: “In this format – no.”
“I will ask you an indiscreet question. Is it true that a boxer should not have sex while preparing for a fight?
– If the wife is not around, then yes, it’s impossible, probably. And if there is a wife or girlfriend nearby, then why not?
– But the coach does not recommend doing it?
“These are, I think, imaginary things. They are from the Soviet Union. They just didn’t fully explain how it works. If you make love to your wife or the girl you are dating throughout the night, then it is clear that you will go out in the morning and you will be screwed. And if it’s midnight or at least a quarter, then nothing terrible, I think, will not happen. Yes, at some point there is no intimacy with the second half. I install for myself. If I cook at home, then I still do not live at home. So I’m coming for the weekend. If she’s not around…
– That is, you say to yourself in a month – that’s it?
– When it is, then in a month, and when it is not, then how long will it take place there.
- Usyk returned to the house near Kyiv, where the Russian invaders visited – photo
– You are so driven in training that you probably don’t even think about it?
— Absolutely. And you put out so much energy a day in three workouts that not only do you want to think about sex, you think, how would you go to bed as soon as possible.
– Regarding your answers to questions about the ownership of the Crimea. I remember we talked, it was about the seventeenth year. I asked: “Whose Crimea?” You said: Crimea is God’s. Today, what do you think, whose Crimea is it?
– He’s ours. He was, he is and will be. Do you know how it was at that moment? In the fourteenth year, it was a shame when you live there and turn off the water and electricity on the Kyiv side. And you live there. I’m Ukrainian too. Yes, he is Ukrainian. He was simply taken for granted. People just came, took it away, squeezed it out. I am more than sure that if there were correct instructions from people who have eggs, they would not be able to take Crimea so quickly.
– Do you think you have many fans in Russia?
– I think that there is less with my statements. Less, much less, because … You know, the guy writes a bad word to me: “You – g*****!”. Wow. How much bile is there. He needed some courage. He can be found. Nobody is going to look for him at all. Well, he spoke, he insulted. I say: “God bless you.” He called, he called. I think there are fans. Maybe less, maybe more, who knows? I dont know. I am more interested in my Ukrainian fans, compatriots.
– I have no doubt that Putin knows you very well and followed the fight with Gassiev in Moscow. After all the crimes that Putin committed on Ukrainian soil, if you met him, what would you say to him?
– To be honest, I would never want to meet him, so as not to sin.
— Could you?
– I would not like to shake his hand, for example. There is no point in dating him. He hears no one but himself. Absolutely no one.
Could you hit him?
– An old man. It’s a sin to beat the old ones. Perhaps an inadvertent push on the shoulder would have made him fall off the balcony. Well, like bro, I’m sorry – op and that’s it.
- “When our people began to beat the orcs …” Usyk told how they are similar to Zaluzny
– It’s no secret that many top-class athletes, when they receive huge fees, try to somehow go a little offshore, try to somehow work. Perhaps you are the only such person. You demonstratively brought money to Ukraine and paid taxes.
– Yes sir. Haven’t paid yet, because some more time has to pass.
“But this is an inspiring example not only for the athlete, but for everyone. If Oleksandr Usyk brings money to Ukraine, then he believes in Ukraine – this is the first time. He wants to live honestly and pay taxes – these are two things.
“You know, there’s nothing like that here. It’s just that all the previous fights in which I boxed in other territories of the world, I paid taxes where I boxed. And here, in this country where I boxed, it is tax-free. I, of course, communicated before. The percentage of taxes did not go to another country, but to my country. I kind of work there and everything else. Lawyers know this. We are working on all of this. And here I say that I have a principled position in business – everything is light, white, and it seems to me that the time for these black deeds is ending, because people want to go somewhere to Europe, buy a house, pay for a yacht, for a restaurant , booking, something else. And they say to him: “Where did you get the money?” And he does not have an answer where he got the money, because he komunizil them. I don’t want to be so afraid. And stolen money does not bring pleasure and happiness.
What are you dreaming about now? What would you most like in life?
“At the moment, I really want to win. Hurry, I mean. To stop the war and start restoration.
