Former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko says he will take up arms alongside his brother, Wladimir, to fight against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while current champ Oleksandr Usyk has returned to the country and called on his countrymen to unite.
Russia began their invasion on Thursday and troops are now closing in on Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming reports of multiple Russian missile strikes on the capital at 4am on Friday, saying military and civilian areas were targeted.
Zelensky also warned that Ukraine will not stop defending itself until Russia’s attacks end and Vitali Klitschko, who has been mayor of Kyiv since 2014, says he is ready to fight.
‘It’s already a bloody war. I don’t have another choice, I have to do that. I’ll be fighting,’ the 50-year-old told ITV’s Good Morning Britain when asked if he would be taking up arms against Russia.
His younger brother Wladimir, also a former heavyweight champion known as Dr Steelhammer during his days in the ring, will join him in the fight against Russia and enlisted in Ukraine’s reserve army earlier this month.
Writing on Linkedin on Thursday, Wladimir said: ‘Putin makes it clear that he wants to destroy the Ukrainian state and the sovereignty of its people.
‘Words are followed by missiles and tanks. Destruction and death come upon us. That’s it, blood will mix with tears… We will defend ourselves with all our might and fight for freedom and democracy.’
The current heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk, had been in London earlier in the week for a meeting related to an upcoming boxing video game but flew back to Ukraine on Thursday and issued a rallying cry to his compatriots.
Alongside an English caption reading ‘NO WAR’, Usyk said in an Instagram video: ‘Some wrote to me that I ran away; I didn’t, I was at work but I’m back, I’m home.
‘Friends, we have to unite because it’s a hard time right now and I’m really emotional and worry about my country, and our people. Friends, we have to stop this war; all of us together.’
Former light-welterweight champion Viktor Postol, meanwhile, is due to fight Gary Russell in Las Vegas on Saturday, but says his thoughts are focused on Ukraine with his family ‘in the middle of everything’.
MORE : John Cena slammed by fans for ‘using Ukraine invasion’ to promote Peacemaker
MORE : Schalke remove Gazprom logo from shirts after Russia invades Ukraine as pressure grows on UEFA to cut ties
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
var fbApiInit = false; var awaitingReady = [];
var notifyQ = function () { var i = 0, l = awaitingReady.length; for (i = 0; i < l; i++) { awaitingReady[i](); } }; var ready = function (cb) { if (fbApiInit) { cb(); } else { awaitingReady.push(cb); } }; var checkLoaded = function () { return fbApiInit; }; window.fbAsyncInit = function () { FB.init({ appId: '176908729004638', xfbml: true, version: 'v2.10' }); fbApiInit = true; notifyQ(); }; return { 'ready' : ready, 'loaded' : checkLoaded }; })(); (function () { function injectFBSDK() { if ( window.fbApi && window.fbApi.loaded() ) return; var d = document, s="script", id = 'facebook-jssdk'; var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) { return; } js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.async = true; js.src = "https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); } if ( !document.body.classList.contains('image-share-redesign') && 'object' === typeof metro ) { window.addEventListener('metro:scroll', injectFBSDK, {once: true}); } else { window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', injectFBSDK, {once: true}); } })();
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
