"He was already lying in the coffin" - When Oleksandr Usyk revisited heartbreaking reason behind missing his late father's last few hours

Throwback to the time when Oleksandr Usyk shed light on an emotional story about his father's passing.

Usyk is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers in the world today. 'The Cat' also amassed several accolades in the amateur boxing realm, notably securing the gold medal at heavyweight in the 2012 London Olympics.

The Ukrainian fighter was in attendance for the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou boxing event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October 2023. Around that time, he partook in an interview with TNT Sports.

Usyk explained that when speaking with boxing superstars like Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, and others in Riyadh, he was thinking about and thanking his father. The 37-year-old seemingly believed that his father was watching him.

The former undisputed cruiserweight champion, whose father played an important role in building his boxing career, stated:

"Yes, at first [he was a fan of those boxers], but then he became my fan ... He watched me become an Olympic champion, but I didn't make it on time to show him the gold medal."

Usyk suggested that his father watched him capture the gold medal. He'd also made it back to Ukraine and was waiting for a supercar to be delivered, so he could show it to his father. However, the three-day wait resulted in him missing the final hours of his father's life. 'The Cat' recalled:

"When I arrived, he was already lying in the coffin. I handed him the medal, put it in his dead hand and then left the room ... I was on my way back from London, and I was already in Ukraine. Three more days and I would have been home, but I was waiting for a supercar to arrive. I wanted to bring it with me and show him what a cool car I had. My mum called me at 3 am and told me the news."

The veteran pugilist proceeded to highlight that sometimes, his father "comes the day before the fight and smiles." While crying, Usyk indicated that his father visits him in his dreams ahead of his fights and lightheartedly quipped, "Don't cry, you man."

Check out Oleksandr Usyk's comments below:

Watch the complete interview below:

---

Oleksandr Usyk expresses love and respect for his father after undisputed title win over Tyson Fury

On May 18, 2024, the closely-contested showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury witnessed the former emerge victorious via split decision to become boxing's first undisputed heavyweight champion since April 2000. An Usyk-Fury rematch could be on the cards.

During his emotional in-ring post-fight interview, Usyk noted his father would be happy and watching him. Looking toward the skies, he asserted:

"Daddy, I love you. I can [do it], you told me."

Watch Oleksandr Usyk's interview below:

During the post-fight press conference, Oleksandr Usyk broke into tears and emphasized that he misses his father. Usyk implied that he requested his father to stay in the realm of the deceased while he was in the dominion of the living.

Alluding to feeling his father's presence in the media stands at the press conference, Usyk said:

"I know he is here, maybe like out there."

Check out Usyk's heart-wrenching comments below: