Oleksandr Usyk has been stripped of his Crimean honours after he enrolled in the Ukraine territorial army.
Usyk returned to Ukraine in February to sign up with the Kyiv Territorial Defense and protect his home country after Russia carried out a full-blown invasion. The heavyweight champion was born in the Crimean city of Simferopol but now lives with his family in Kyiv.
The 35-year-old has since left Ukraine to prepare for his world title rematch against Anthony Joshua later this year. The chairman of the Crimean Parliament, Vladimir Konstantinov, revealed that Usyk was among the list of names to be relieved of honorary titles this week.
“These are [people] who arranged and welcomed the water and energy blockade of Crimea, who question the fairness and legitimacy of our return to Russia, who stained themselves with Russophobia. Such people are not worthy of a good memory,” Konstantinov told RIA.
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Crimea is an area that has been fought over by Ukraine and Russia for hundreds of years. Since 2014, the peninsula has been deemed part of the Russian Federation. Usyk has shied away from discussing the reunification of Crimea during his career, only stating the area belongs to "God".
Usyk was one of several Ukrainian boxers to help defend his country from Russian attacks. Former heavyweight champions Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko and three-weight world champion Vasyl Lomachenko were among those fighters to join Usyk.
Lomachenko, who has vowed to stay in Ukraine until the war ends, stated: "My country is Ukraine. I live here, I was born here, I grew up here. If I wanted to leave, I would have done that a long time ago."
Usyk's wife Kateryna recently said he lost 10kg in a week because of the mental stress from the invasion. The heavyweight champion has seen neighbours dragged away and had his home shot at, with Kateryna admitting the crisis has "torn him apart".
"I said 'Sasha, please, people are asking, you need to speak, somehow support' It is very difficult for him. He doesn’t really like giving interviews in normal, peacetime anyway. Now it’s difficult for him but he still goes on the air to say something," Kateryna told PravdaTUT Lviv.
"His position is clear, he has always been for Ukraine. He has always glorified it and will glorify it for as long as he has enough health and strength."
