Oleksandr Usyk on war in his homeland and fighting Daniel Dubois on Ukraine’s Independence Day

Ask Oleksandr Usyk how the war affects him and the Ukrainian world heavyweight champion takes a long pause to think deeply and looks into your eyes intently to create mutual focus.

When he speaks, the images of the conflict are vivid, the pain of family separation pervasive, the devotion to his homeland profound.

Saturday is Ukraine’s National Independence Day, which makes emotions all the more powerful. The motivation to deal another huge blow to his country’s prestige is more relevant than ever.

This Saturday night, tens of thousands of his compatriots will pack into a stadium in Wroclaw to watch him defend his three belts against young London giant Daniel Dubois. All roaring Slava Ukraine.

Honor to Ukraine.

Usyk (center) enlisted in the Kyiv Territorial Defense after the Russian invasion of Ukraine

That guttural refrain in Poland will resonate across the border, some 500 miles away. When the in-ring fight is over, the calls Usyk most hopes to hear in his dressing room will come not only from his family in their safe haven, but also from his friends on the frontline “who are still alive.”

Usyk confronts the reality of Russia, the great bear ravaging his country. Just like he handles it when, as a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, he has to beat men bigger than himself. Rivals like Anthony Joshua, twice.

“After my battles with AJ,” he says, “I went home to the front lines. I lived with the troops. I was there for them. Through binoculars I saw my enemies running from 900 meters, tanks exploding, houses breaking down.

‘I saw people without arms or legs. I saw those who could still walk look like the walking dead. Everything, everywhere, dead. I went by car through a city. A dead city. No energy. We walked past a children’s playground. The toys are in that place, but no children are playing. It was dead.

“Some of the men I was on the front lines with didn’t understand I wanted to be with them. They asked me this: ‘Why are you here? What are you doing? Even some generals don’t come to this place.”

“I told them I wasn’t a general. Just an ordinary Ukrainian man, like her. I spent a lot of time with these people. Few of them are professional soldiers. They are not ready to go to war.

“One of them was a banker. One a baker. Another businessman. There are some real soldiers, but most of them on the front lines are not. They are only there to fight for freedom. And we are going to conquer that freedom.’

Usyk was granted dispensation from President Zelensky to leave Ukraine after numerous regular soldiers and conscripts urged him to leave them and start waving the flag by beating Joshua to become world champion. Slava Ukraine.

Usyk (left) received dispensation from President Zelensky to leave Ukraine and wave the flag by beating Anthony Joshua (right) to become world champion

When you fight Dubois on Ukraine’s National Independence Day, the emotions are all the more powerful

He will face Dubois (right) after negotiations with Tyson Fury over a historic uncontested four tire clash fell through

In doing so, he has become a permanent standard-bearer for the men and women at war. An emblem of the Resistance of Ukraine. A national hero and therefore a target. Him, his wife Yekaterina and their three young children. There is a personal price to pay.

He says, “For the past eighteen months, my family has been separated. My children cannot live in Ukraine. They’re elsewhere. I’ve seen people change. My family and people have changed in many ways. Not always the best. I know I’ve changed.’

When Putin’s invasion began, Usyk, whose wife was Russian-born and whose native language was Russian, entered a cord of loyalty. After witnessing frontline hell and seeing his home on the outskirts of Kiev destroyed, he is determined to declare all occupied territories as belonging to Ukraine. Including the Crimean peninsula where he was born 36 years ago.

He says: ‘War is a great experiment with life. I know that the strong and honest people will survive. Just like those who can understand war.’ As a devout Christian, he adds: “Every day I pray to the Lord to give me a greater understanding of what is happening in Ukraine. I don’t want to be angry with anyone. I want to love this world as it is. My mind has already changed. I now understand why God has taken something away from us, why he is putting us on a difficult path.

“I repeat: we will win our freedom. But before God gives you something great, He has to take something small from you. It tells you to never give up. That you must fight to the end.’

Such powerful driving forces amplify the threat to Dubois posed by Usyk’s technical boxing genius and formidable willpower. The man himself explains: “Everything that happens to us makes me stronger.

“I get a lot of texts from my fans and my friends on the front lines. That of course gives me motivation in the ring. Sometimes when I talk to those friends on the phone, I hear missiles explode in the background. Bombs fall. When our conversations end, they say, “Brother, I’ll call you back. If I’m still alive.”

When the fight in the ring is over, the calls Usyk most hopes to hear in his dressing room will be from his family in their safe haven and from those on the front lines “who are still alive”

‘Fortunately, especially so far. that call still comes. If I can give them a little bit of fun by winning fights, I’d fight every day. Because of where they are, they have nothing else to do or watch but fight for freedom.’

Through it all, Usyk has never lost his wonderfully quirky sense of humour. When asked, as usual, how he can withstand the massive punches of born heavyweights like Joshua first, then Dubois, and then maybe six-foot-tall Tyson Fury, he says, “They’ve got to get me first.” As for President Putin, the Russian invader is only six feet tall.

Happy Independence Day, Mr. Usyk.

Slava Ukraine.

Usyk v Dubois for the WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine world heavyweight titles will be broadcast live this Saturday night on TNT Sports Box Office for £19.95.