Oleksandr Usyk, the world heavyweight champion, has invited former U.S. President Donald Trump to Ukraine. The boxer wants Trump to see firsthand the impact of Russia's invasion on his country.
Usyk, who holds the WBC, WBA, and WBO heavyweight belts, made this unusual offer while preparing for his upcoming fight against Daniel Dubois on July 19. The Ukrainian champion has called out Trump on his campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine within a day if elected.
"Donald Trump, please open your eyes, help my people," Usyk said. "He should be responsible for his words. He said that in one day he would stop this war. He is not responsible for his words. Why does he speak?"
Usyk has offered to host Trump at his house for a week, providing security guards and arranging a secret arrival. The boxer's goal is for Trump to experience the nightly missile attacks and understand the living conditions in Ukraine.
"Let him live in my house for a week and see how the missiles fly over and how people live in Ukraine. Every night there are bombs and flights over my house. Bombs, missiles. Every night."
The heavyweight champion believes Putin might stop the attacks if he knew Trump was in Ukraine. However, Usyk isn't sure if this experience would change Trump's mind about the war.
"I don't know. Maybe he understands, maybe he doesn't. The Ukrainian people are dying. Not only military, but also children, women, grandmothers and grandfathers. For me it is difficult. I am worried about what is happening in my country."
This isn't the first time Usyk has addressed Trump. A month ago, during peace talks between Washington, Kiev, and Moscow, Usyk disagreed with the idea of Ukraine giving up territory.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Usyk was in London. He quickly returned home and joined the Territorial Defense Forces in Kiev, showing his commitment to his country's defense.
Now, as Usyk prepares for his fight against IBF champion Daniel Dubois, he continues to use his platform to draw attention to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The July 19 bout will be for the undisputed world heavyweight title, with Usyk defending his WBA (Super), WBO, and WBC belts.
