Alexander Khyzhniak became the only medal winner in the national team of Ukraine at the World Championships in 2017 in Hamburg. Gold in the 75 kg weight class, which was handed to him by ex-world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, brought Khyzhniak also the title of the best boxer of the tournament. The city of Poltava native is training under the guidance of his father Alexander Khyzhniak, Sr..
"My dad is not only a coach, but also the closest person to me. He supports me absolutely. He lives to see my progress and how I reach new heights. Of course, we discuss boxing and everything with him," Alexander said upon his arrival in Ukraine.
"The son is hardest to train," Khyzhniak Sr. admits. – Well but I combine it (laughs). We began to prepare Sasha from seven or even five years old. He was still young, and we already did stretching and ran. I had no big achievements, I became only a candidate for the master of sports in boxing. And when the youngest son was born, I saw that he has the potential and decided to hand him over."
"Sasha is calm in life, a good guy, but in the ring ... you know how Spartan wives talked, escorting their husbands to battle: "With a shield, or on a shield! " So if he went out to fight, he must fight. Now he will come and have a rest as a normal child, he will go with everyone to the institute - our Poltava pedagogical. But training is a must. In order to win, he must train, "- added Khyzhniak Sr.
"No, he will never catch star sickness because he is in the national team since 2008, constantly went to various championships, was a prize-winner for juniors. He liked to perform for WSB team "Atamans". Was not it early? No, he has good defense, tactics, and most importantly - there is a desire. If he does something, he does it to the maximum. You know, as they say: in training you must die more than once, and two. In Hamburg, I was pleased with Sasha: he went through good fighters, he was well adjusted to fight with the Kazakh. Although it was hard - at the end of the tournament I was tired not so much physically, as morally, because he is so responsible for me. In general, it is a medal not only of Sasha but of all Ukraine, of all who helped him and believed in him," Khyzhniak Sr. said.
