Oleksandr Usyk has denied claims he travelled to the UK to escape the ongoing war in his native Ukraine.
Usyk was in Sheffield earlier this week to promote the upcoming boxing game eSports Boxing Club.
Whilst the heavyweight champion was in the UK, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military assault on Ukraine after years of ongoing conflict between the two countries.
Several explosions have been reported in cities such as Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odesa with Russian forces breaching the capital city Kyiv as some residents attempt to flee the country.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded for those capable to join the army and help defend against the attacks.
And Usyk revealed in a recent Instagram video that he has returned to Ukraine and reinforced his President's message.
"Dear Ukraine and dear Ukrainians, some wrote about me running away. Not true, I had a work trip and now I’m back. I’m home," Usyk said in the video (h/t Zorya Londonsk).
"Friends, we need to unite together and overcome this, because we are faced with exceptional difficulties.
"I’m very overcome with emotions and I’m very concerned for my country and for our people. Friends we must stop this war and we must do it together."
Former WBO heavyweight champion and the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, condemned Putin's actions and said the people of Ukraine are ready to defend their city.
"I believe. I believe in Ukraine, I believe in my country and I believe in my people,” he told Good Morning Britain.
And when asked if he would join civilians and soldiers to fight on the frontline, Klitschko: "I don't have another choice. I have to do that. I will be fighting."
What are your thoughts on Oleksandr Usyk returning to Ukraine? Let us know in the comments section below
Usyk is currently in the early stages of preparing to fight Anthony Joshua for a second time after beating the Brit last September.
He wants their rematch, which will likely be held in May or June, to take place in Kyiv but admitted that will unlikely happen given the country's ongoing crisis.
“I would like to have the fight in Kyiv at the Olympic Stadium,” Usyk wryly told Behind The Gloves. "First of all, we have an un-stabilised position right now in our country.
“Second of all, the people who are organising all of this see it more like a financial interest.
"So, at this point, Ukraine is not going to [offer] the most financial interest. We don’t care, wherever it is going to be.”
