Oleksandr Usyk received a poison threat via email ahead of his second meeting with Anthony Joshua.
Usyk will look to inflict a second consecutive defeat on rival Joshua tonight in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia but the Ukrainian has had a turbulent build-up to the clash, having been forced to return home following Russia's invasion of his country.
The war has placed a great deal of pressure on Usyk's shoulders with the champion cutting short a trip to London to return home before being convinced to leave once again to focus on the biggest fight of his career
"As soon as they [the military] saw him, they started clapping and cheering him," Usyk's manager Egis Klimas told ESPN when asked about his efforts in Ukraine ahead of the rematch "They said, 'Please, please, you don't have to be here. We'll fight, you go.' Actually, it was a wounded soldier who convinced Usyk to leave the country and make the rematch.
"It's been a lot of pressure. It is pressure from Ukraine, from the government. It's pressure from Russia. It's pressure from the British. I'm even getting emails about somebody going to try to poison [Usyk] in the locker room." The threat adds another obstacle to an already turbulent build-up for Usyk, who has been visibly emotional over the devastating scenes in his native Ukraine.
Usyk lost around 22lb within a week during his war defence efforts earlier this year and was forced to regain his strength and weight to resume his boxing career. The Ukrainian has paid respect to the people of his country during fight week and has made a number of touching tributes including a "Freedom" t-shirt seen during press conferences.
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Many people inside the sport have suggested the events back home for Usyk in Ukraine could take a toll on his performance despite the dominant nature of his display last time out. His rival Joshua has admitted he is unsure how he would react in the fighting world if his country was under siege.
He said: “If it was me, yes, my country being at war would definitely have an impact and I don’t know if it would be positive or negative. “I don’t know how I would deal with it but I know it would be tough. I have never lived in anything like a conflict like that, so I don’t know the sort of ramifications it would have on me.
"But I respect what he has done 100 per cent. It’s his home, isn’t it? You have to defend your home. He is just trying to defend his community so I respect him. I would have done the same, not as a boxer or a warrior, just as a general person."
