IBF and WBA cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev of Russia commented on the transfer of the WBSS final with Alexander Usyk of Ukraine to Moscow.
"At last the certainty came about with the date and time of the battle. Of course, I am very happy about this and I prepare with all responsibility. Since 2016, after the fight with Denis Lebedev, for me every subsequent duel is the main one. I perfectly understand that the upcoming fight is the most important in my life, because it is the pinnacle of my career. The fight for the title of the undisputed world champion is my dream and now it is one month and one fight left.
“The fact that the battle will be in Moscow has its pros and cons. I refer to the already started talks that it is unfair to hold a fight in the country of one of the participants in the final, that Usyk will get poisoned and so on. Of course, this is complete nonsense. Firstly, we are professional athletes and we must be ready to fight where the organizers will say.
“If the organizers of the series decided that it was necessary to battle in Kiev, in Berlin or on the Moon, then I would be ready to fly there. I'm sure that Usyk would have answered the same. Secondly, I really do not like that some are trying to drag our fight into some sort of political clarification and disassembly. We are athletes, we are not politicians and we do not need to be drawn into any confrontation. We will find out which of us is the best boxer and then shake hands.
“I also attribute to the fact that my relatives and friends will be able to visit the battle. And this is important for me. They, of course, are ready to follow me to any point on the map, but, for example, it would be rather problematic to go to Saudi Arabia. By the way, for the fans of Alexander Usyk to get to Moscow will also be easier and cheaper than to many cities in Europe. By the way, I think that in the "Olympic" there will be at least not less fans of Usyk than mine.
“Alexander is well known in Russia, he is loved and consider local, like Vasily Lomachenko and Gennady Golovkin. Therefore, talks about the performance "on the territory of a rival" is not very appropriate here," Gassiev wrote in his Instagram.
