talk), and don’t plan on it. My kids look at me and repeat what I do. Imagine if one of my children goes to school and starts offending someone. What’s that? That is not how you raise a child. That’s not how a man behaves. I will say it this way: Manners make the man. The Ring: Something I read in an interview with you that I found interesting: You mentioned after you won the Olympic games in 2012 that you spoke with your father for the last time and he said that he loved you. You said that was the first time he said that to you. You also said that with your own children, you tell them you love them every day. If on some level your father withholding saying he loved you motivated you to work harder to get where you are, what inspired you to act differently with your own children? Usyk: Because I know when I tell my children every day that I believe in them. They are different. They have a different life. They have bread, they have shoes, they have education, but I didn’t have this. I didn’t have bread. I was hungry. I didn’t have shoes to walk to school. I was different. I went a different way, and they are going in a completely different way, but I see that my love and
Do you get great motivation from your country and from the spirit of your country that it’s demonstrated to influence how you fight? Also in how you represent it? Usyk: I am Ukraine. The Ring: Do you recognize that you are inspiring many people around the world, not just your countrymen, with your courage and also how you symbolize your country’s courage? Usyk: I am very thankful that God has allowed me to be born in Ukraine and be a Ukrainian Orthodox Christian, and be a Ukrainian citizen. The Ring: What boxers when you began boxing influenced your style? Were there any boxers who you emulated? Usyk: I respect Muhammad Ali. Not only for his boxing, but for his positions. I respect him for how he fought for his rights and for the rights of his people, for himself and for life. He fought the same way we are fighting right now. And we will prevail because truth is behind us. And where there is truth, there is light. I like Evander Holyfield as well. With his perseverance, when something went
Usyk earned an edge on the scorecards with his fierce ninth-round assault.
wrong, his mom was always supporting him, and because of that he has achieved the highest results in his life. Manny Pacquiao, an unbelievable boxer who believed in himself and had an unbelievable path. I started following him when he was already a world champion. I was looking at him and was thinking to myself how unbelievable. Such a small person is doing such big things. The Ring: So many boxers create controversy to sell their fights. You have become almost famous for refusing to trash talk or be disrespectful to your opponents. Where does that instinct come from? Usyk: This was the way my father raised me. If you run your mouth, you’re not doing enough. I am an Orthodox Christian; I can’t go around offending people if they do not deserve it. I’m just going to go fight in the ring, and that’s all. How is trash talk going to help me? I will become weaker. I will only show that I can box. I never did this (trash
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