BOXING
Why was Oleksandr Usyk arrested in Poland? What we know so far
The undisputed heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk was briefly detained in Warsaw airport in what he describes as a “misunderstanding”.
Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk found himself in an unexpected situation when Polish police detained him at Krakow airport, just days before he was set to head to London. Usyk, known for his calm demeanor inside and outside the ring, took the incident in stride, referring to it as a “misunderstanding” and expressing gratitude to everyone involved for handling things smoothly.
The 37-year-old Ukrainian was briefly taken into custody by uniformed officers, prompting concern among fans and observers. However, Usyk was quick to clear things up on social media, posting, “Dear Friends. A misunderstanding took place. It was quickly resolved. Thanks to all who got concerned.” He went on to praise the Polish police for their professionalism, noting that they treated him with fairness, regardless of his stature as a boxing champion.
“A misunderstanding took place. It was quickly resolved.”
The incident even drew the attention of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who shared his frustrations over how Usyk was treated. Zelensky quickly took steps to ensure his country’s boxing icon was released. In a post on Telegram, he shared that he had spoken to Usyk directly and confirmed his release, reassuring everyone that “everything is fine.”
“Nothing criminal”
Usyk’s wife, Kateryna, also chimed in on social media to put fans at ease. “Everything is ok, everything is fine!!! nothing to be criminal ... Good night to you all!!!” she wrote. While the details of the “misunderstanding” are still unclear, the situation has been resolved with minimal fuss.
This episode comes at a critical time for Usyk. Fresh off his victory over Tyson Fury earlier this year, he’s already deep into preparations for a rematch with the British heavyweight on December 21. The fight, set to take place in Saudi Arabia, will be Fury’s chance to avenge his first professional loss and reclaim his spot at the top of the heavyweight division. Usyk, for his part, remains laser-focused on maintaining his championship reign.
“From the last fight with Tyson Fury, I learned a lot,” Usyk reflected. “We will prepare even better, and with God’s victory, we will show our best shape again.”
Amid his training, Usyk had planned a quick detour to London to catch the fight between two familiar faces - Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois. Both have been in the ring with Usyk in recent years, and he was likely looking to get a closer look at how they fared against each other. Joshua, who holds a 26-3 record with 23 knockouts, faced off against Dubois, who was coming in with a 19-2 record. Both men have had their ups and downs, with Joshua still rebuilding after back-to-back losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022.
Dubois, on the other hand, is eager to bounce back from his own loss to Usyk. Despite accusations that he “quit” in that bout, Dubois is determined to prove his critics wrong. “I’ve got to make him quit, break him down,” he said ahead of the Joshua fight. “That’s my mindset going into this.”
Though the brief detention may have momentarily sidelined Usyk, it’s clear he’s not letting it affect his focus. With the Fury rematch looming, Usyk’s already proven himself resilient - both inside the ring and out.
Usyk will reportedly be explaining everything tomorrow, and we can’t wait to hear all about it. As the situation develops, we will keep you updated.