Oleksandr Usyk is one of the most successful boxers of our time, the absolute world champion and Olympic winner. However, in his childhood, his dreams were far from the professional ring. Moreover, now the athlete says that he plans to fight for a few more years, after which he wants to "work for the state" and does not rule out participating in the presidential elections.
Usyk was born on January 17, 1987 in Simferopol. He is married and has four children; his youngest daughter was born in January 2024. The boxer gained world fame thanks to numerous championship belts and victories in the professional ring, but his path to sports was unexpected.
As a child, Oleksandr was fond of football and attended various clubs. The athlete himself admitted that he dreamed of becoming a singer or dancer, and also wanted to try his hand at theater or cinema. However, the family's financial capabilities were limited, and his parents could not support these creative aspirations. According to Usyk, his father honestly explained to him that the money was only enough for basic needs - clothes and food.
He started boxing at the age of 15. The first training session was tough: the young athlete got so much that it hurt his pride. It was then that he decided to seriously start training. The first coach of the future champion was Sergey Lapin. Perseverance and discipline quickly yielded results - Usyk began to demonstrate a high level in amateur boxing.
His upbringing in the family was strict. From the age of 11–12, Oleksandr was accustomed to physical labor: he chopped firewood, carried bricks on construction sites, and helped the elderly. According to his own words, he was happy with the first money he earned on his own and learned responsibility early.
The turning point was his victory at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, where Usyk won the gold medal in the 91 kg weight category. After that, he switched to professional boxing and later collected all the key titles in cruiserweight and heavyweight, becoming the absolute world champion.
Usyk now says he plans to stay in the sport for a few more years, and after his career is over, he is considering running for president of Ukraine. According to him, he wants to "work for the state" and use his experience and authority for the benefit of the country.
Thus, Usyk's story is a path from dreams of the stage to the world ring, and in the future, perhaps to big politics.
