Usyk trains with FC Polissya before football debut for Ukrainian side

Box to box! Oleksandr Usyk is put through his paces on the training pitch ahead of his football debut for Ukrainian second-tier club FC Polissya… with the world heavyweight champion set to try his hand in a friendly match this week

  • Oleksandr Usyk is set to swap the boxing ring for the football pitch this week 
  • Usyk, 35, will play in a friendly match for Ukrainian club FC Polissya on Thursday 
  • The world heavyweight champion has been training with his new team-mates
  • He could be seen putting his footwork and head movement to use in one drill 

World heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk has been put through his paces in football training with FC Polissya after announcing that he will play a friendly for the Ukrainian second division team on Thursday.

While there was no sign of the blood, sweat and tears he has become accustomed to in the boxing gym, Usyk could be seen completing a series of drills before taking part in a small-sided match with his Polissya team-mates.

The unified heavyweight king had to put his majestic footwork and swift head movement to good use when carrying out one exercise, which entailed weaving in and out of some cones and leaping to head the ball.

Oleksandr Usyk (left) has been put through his paces in football training with FC Polissya

In footage uploaded on Instagram by Usyk and Polissya, he is first spotted getting ready for training in the changing room.

The Ukrainian is later seen enjoying a light run, practicing some kick-ups, completing the heading drill and then failing to get the ball under control in the small-sided game.

Usyk is plying his trade with Polissya during the club’s winter training camp, with their opening Persha Liga campaign due to get back up and running in March.

When speaking about the boxer’s link-up with his side, Polissya director Volodymyr Zagursky told The Times Hub: ‘If Usyk strengthens our team, we will offer a professional contract, if not, we will just give a chance to try his hand at football.

Usyk is set to play a friendly match for the Ukrainian second-tier club on Thursday

The world heavyweight boxing champion put his good head movement to use in one drill

‘What will Usyk’s participation in the tournament look like? These moments are kept secret. Watch the tournament and you you will see everything’.

Nevertheless, Zagursky’s chances of signing Usyk on a permanent basis are highly unlikely given he is on the cusp of challenging for the undisputed heavyweight title.

Should he emerge victorious in his rematch with Anthony Joshua, which is expected to take place in either March or April of this year, then the three-belt chief will likely lock horns with the winner of Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte’s WBC title clash next.

Polissya director Volodymyr Zagursky says Usyk could be offered a professional contract

A mega-fight between the winner of those two bouts would crown the first undisputed heavyweight king in over two decades, and if that man is Usyk he will secure a special place in boxing history.

Winning all four titles would make him only the second fighter ever to become an undisputed champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, following in the footsteps of Evander Holyfield.

Usyk and Fury were recently locked in talks over staging an undisputed meeting next, only for Joshua and Whyte’s step-aside demands to prove too hefty.




Share this article

Source: Read Full Article