- Oleksandr Usyk will return to the ring on December 21 to face Tyson Fury again
- Usyk beat Fury last time to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
- Join Mail+ for more exclusive scoops, reports and in-depth analysis ahead of the highly anticipated rematch between Fury and Usyk on Saturday.
Before his fight against Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk opened an emotional letter from a Ukrainian soldier fighting on the front lines.
The Ukrainian beat the Gypsy King on points earlier this year to become the undisputed world champion, coming back from a tough few rounds mid-fight to finish strong.
In fact, Usyk nearly floored Fury in the ninth round of an absorbing fight, rocking the Brit with a flurry of 14 unanswered punches that left his opponent leaning on the ropes for support.
The 36-year-old somehow survived the attack and made it to the end of the contest, only to lose on points, but he has a chance for redemption on Saturday, when he will look to make up for the only defeat of his career to date.
Ahead of the fight, Usyk sat down for an exclusive interview with Mail Sport where he discussed his training regime, looked ahead to the fight and opened a letter from a Ukrainian soldier.
The letter said: ‘Dear Mr. Oleksandr. My name is also Oleksandr, my callsign is ‘Shket (Kid/Lad)’. I am a fighter of the GRIM special forces tactical unit of the 41st separate brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Usyk opened a letter from a Ukrainian soldier fighting on the front

Mail Sport joined Usyk in camp ahead of his rematch with Tyson Fury on December 21.
‘My brothers and I watch all your fights whenever possible and we support you wholeheartedly. We are proud that the glory of Ukrainian boxing now resonates so strongly. It has always been very important and now every Ukrainian victory is priceless.
‘We know what hard work is and what every victory is worth, in the ring or on the steppes of Donbass.
‘My brothers and I defended Kyiv, then we fought in Bakhmut and liberated Kherson. You inspire us and we will be worthy of the glory of Ukraine and all those who work for this.
‘We support you. We wish you victory and success. This time we will support you again. I hope you feel our support even from afar. All our efforts will lead to the main thing – to our common victory!
‘We cross our fingers for you, pray and wish you success! Together towards victory!’
As Usyk carefully unfolded the letter, he took a deep breath before reading it aloud.
The soldier’s words were raw and heartfelt, a deeply personal message of gratitude to Usyk for being a beacon of hope in unimaginable times. In those moments, the chaos around him stopped and Usyk’s triumphs became his light in the darkness.

The Ukrainian heavyweight will be looking for his second victory over the British heavyweight.
When Usyk finished reading, he paused, visibly moved. He closed the letter, then opened it again and reread the words as if to absorb each line more deeply.
He said: ‘This gives me extra motivation. This is a real man, a real soldier who supports my country, who helps me and the people of Ukraine.
‘I am very grateful to Oleksandr and our Ukrainian soldiers who support my country and fight to protect it. I do this for them.’
In 2022, Usyk enlisted in the Territorial Defense of kyiv in a heroic attempt to protect his homeland after Russia launched its devastating invasion.