Did Oleksandr Usyk serve in the Ukrainian army? Taking a look at 'The Cat's' military service

Former military man Oleksandr Usyk is gearing up for his highly anticipated bout against Tyson Fury. It is scheduled to take place this weekend at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The 12-round showdown will decide the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. Usyk currently holds the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles, while Fury is the holder of the WBC championship.

The two heavyweight champions were initially slated to compete last December, but Fury's hard-fought victory over Francis Ngannou necessitated a two-month postponement. Moreover, 'The Gypsy King' sustained a cut during the sparring session in February, causing a further three-month delay in the bout.

The Cat' currently reigns supreme as the unified heavyweight champion, boasting an impressive legacy that includes an Olympic gold medal and championships in various weight divisions. However, lesser known is the fact that Usyk served in the Ukrainian army in February 2022 amid the ongoing territorial conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

While Usyk was in London, Russian troops crossed into Ukrainian territory, prompting 'The Cat' to embark on a challenging journey back to his family in Kyiv. The 37-year-old Ukrainian made a voluntary decision to join a territorial defense battalion to defend his nation against an invasion from its neighboring country.

Ultimately, in March, Usyk departed from Ukraine to focus on training for his rematch with Anthony Joshua, which he clinched through a split decision victory.

He later disclosed that it was fellow Ukrainian soldiers who persuaded him to resume his career in squared circle.

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When Oleksandr Usyk opened up about his fear of military duty in Ukraine

Oleksandr Usyk faced the harsh reality of war firsthand when, immediately after the invasion, he returned to Kyiv and undertook military duties.

During an interview with The Guardian in June 2022, 'The Cat' candidly expressed the fear he experienced as a soldier in the Ukrainian army.

Despite patrolling the streets with a machine gun in hand, Usyk admitted to the constant fear of losing his life in the conflict:

"Every day I was there, I was praying and asking: 'Please, God, don't let anybody try to kill me. Please don’t let anybody shoot me. And please don’t make me shoot any other person.' But if I had felt in danger, if I feel my life or my family is in jeopardy, I would have [killed a Russian soldier]."

He added:

"I really didn’t want to leave our country. I didn’t want to leave our city. At one point, I went to the hospital where soldiers were wounded and getting rehabilitation, and they asked me to go to fight [Anthony Joshua], to fight for the country. They said if you go there, you’re going to help our country even more instead of fighting inside Ukraine."