Oleksandr Usyk has recovered his mojo ahead of rematch with Joshua

Ukrainian people defending our people, our culture, motivate me to win: OLEKSANDR USYK speaks to JEFF POWELL about the war with Russia, beating Anthony Joshua… and his daughter’s stuffed toy

• Oleksandr Usyk is the coolest dude in town ahead of facing Anthony Joshua  
• 35-year-old says he is motivated by the spirit shown by the people of Ukraine 
• Usyk will return to his enlistment in armed patrols shortly after the fight
• Usyk says he is in touch with soldiers on the front line and receives support 

The gloved crusader for Ukraine has recovered his mojo, which is not the best news for Anthony Joshua as he girds himself for Saturday night’s desert raid on his ark of lost titles.

Olexsandr Usyk is the coolest dude in town once again. The most fascinating enigma in the hardest of games. Philosophical and funny. Charming and challenging. Loving and lethal.

A month ago in London the artist of the prize-ring who had danced away with Joshua’s world heavyweight titles was a preoccupied figure under a dark cloud of distraction. His mind thousands of miles away from the media launch for this rematch in Saudi Arabia. His train of thought interrupted by a constant stream of phone calls from the theatre of war in his homeland.

Oleksandr Usyk has recovered his mojo ahead of his rematch with Anthony Joshua

Now the brain is a laser, once more. Cleared for action by putting his anxiety for his family in safe perspective. Settled by better news of the conflict with Russia, from the front line of which he has taken temporary leave.

A transformation explained with crisp simplicity and a beaming smile: ‘My wife is here!’

So it’s family first. As always with this devout Christian. The lovely Yekaterina arrived last week and was waiting for him at an oasis in Jeddah, a hotel named after the mythical paradise of Shangri-La.

He carries with him everywhere a stuffed toy called Liolia, a facsimile of the Eeyhore character in Winnie the Pooh belonging to his 12 year old daughter, Elizabeth in English.

‘We bought it when we were together at Disneyland in Paris,’ says Usyk. ‘When we all left Ukraine together but our roads in Europe separated she gave it to me to be my talisman and told me I needed to keep it right next to me.

Usyk is motivated by the people of Ukraine who are struggling hard to defend their independence

He carries with him everywhere a stuffed toy called Liolia belonging to his daughter

‘It is always close to me. I sleep with it. I don’t know if will be in my corner for the fight, as it is a girl and might be scared But she will definitely be in my dressing room.’

The smile broadens as he displays the jewel-encrusted watch on his wrist and pendant at this neck and says: ‘These are presents from my wife, my pride. They are diamonds. But the big diamonds are my family.’

The possessions at stake this weekend are the WBA, IBF and WBO world championship belts which Joshua is hell-bent on retrieving but Usyk is sure he will keep for himself.

One foundation of that belief remains his technical superiority in their first fight. That conviction is reinforced by the additional motivation driven by the extreme courage of his countrymen, President Zelensky prominent among them.

President Zelensky is among the prominent figures to have shown their support for Usyk

‘Of course I have been getting updates from home every day,’ he says, ‘and I have some good news. Some of my friends, military guys, have come back safe and sound from accomplishing a really complicated and dangerous assignment.

‘It is also positive that we are hearing fewer explosions and see the enemy activity reducing.

‘It is not the war itself that motivates me. It is the people of Ukraine who are struggling hard to defend our independence, our freedom, our culture. Everything that other people who don’t want us to exist any more are trying to demolish and destroy.

Usyk says he is in touch with soliders on the front line who have sent him messages of support

‘I am in touch with many soldiers at the front line. I receive voice and video messages with words of support. They are holding their hands tight together, praying for me and for my victory.’

In return Usyk has persuaded the Saudi Arabian promoters to release for free in Ukraine the television rights for his second duel with Joshua, which will be aired via pay-per-view transmission in the rest of the world. By so doing he hopes to raise millions in donations to the war effort. To that he will contribute himself from the 50 million purse which he and Joshua are reported to be receiving.

Usyk persuaded the promoters to allow his fight v Joshua to be shown for free in Ukraine

He says: ‘I am not motivated by the money, which is probably the easiest of all resources to acquire. My goal is to live a life useful to the world that I live in. This is what Jesus would have wanted.

‘You can’t just keep doing everything for yourself and putting money in your own pockets. When you die, there are no pockets inside your coffin. When you stand in front of the final judge only your real deeds will be valued. Not how much you earned.’

Zelensky gave permission for him to step back from the conflict as ‘an ambassador for Ukraine.’ Now Usyk says: ‘ I’ve heard from the President, who does not just support me as an athlete but supports the whole country. Yes he will be watching my fight and cheering me on.

‘People elect a president to be the professional manager helping the population to improve their lives and the economy to improve. They are his responsibilities. But when a difficult situation occurs many people try to run away. But there is no real escape. If you take the path of running away the situation will follow you.

‘It is true that our President hated facing this challenge. But when the Russian Federation invaded he didn’t run away. Other forces were offering to help him escape, to extract him from Ukraine. But he stayed for his country. He refused to leave his people without hope.

Usyk will fulfil his promise to return to his enlistment in armed patrols shortly after the fight

‘He said ‘’give me the weapons because if someone comes to kill me I want to defend myself.’’ What do you think other Ukrainians like myself thought when we saw him behaving like that? Everyone realised he had huge balls. That we had to fight for our leader. I am pretty sure that if we had someone else as president we would not have moved in the positive direction we have.’

It is in that ethos that Usyk will fulfil his promise to return to his enlistment in armed patrols shortly after ‘winning this fight.’ He adds: ‘Whenever I say anything my actions and words coincide. I want to see my kids, who I haven’t seen properly for half a year. I want to see my Mum.

‘They are all in Europe now. I want to hug them and have dinner with them. Then I go back to Kyiv.’

Beyond that, he prays the war will be as good as won before time comes for him to fight Tyson Fury for the undisputed world heavyweight championship. Always assuming that the Gypsy King will renounce his retirement again.

Joshua v Usyk for the unified world heavyweight title will be televised live Saturday night on Sky Sports Box Office.

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