Oleksandr Usyk has already returned to Ukraine, where he spent New Year’s Eve in the company of various personalities from his country. After defeating Tyson Fury for the second time on December 21, the heavyweight king returned to his homeland as a true hero. On the last day of 2024, he was welcomed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who expressed on social media: “December 31. Welcome home, champion. We are proud of you!”
Shortly afterwards, it was the boxer himself who published his own New Year’s message, especially dedicated to his compatriots. “Last year we all had to face battles and victories, but I am sure that our greatest triumph is yet to come. For the new year I wish you all faith in God, in miracles, in yourselves and in your strength. Believe that light will always overcome darkness,” said ‘The Cat’, who added: “I wish you unity, tolerance and love for your neighbour. Let us argue less and unite more, supporting each other and those in need.”
Let’s remember that Usyk, after a period in Ukraine at the beginning of the war, received permission to continue his boxing career and thus support his compatriots from the privileged position granted to him by being one of the best-known faces in the sport.
In any case, the last day of the year did not end there for the king of the premier class. In the evening, Usyk joined the Klitschko brothers. The younger of the two, Wladimir, revealed that they shared a FaceTime call with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In fact, the former boxer posted a picture of the video call and wrote: “A New Year’s Eve with mixed emotions: three champions (Usyk, Vitaly andSchwarzenegger)gathered for a legendary conference to have fun and laugh. We wish everyone a healthy 2025. It was short-lived fun, as Russia again launches missiles and drone attacks across Ukraine, including the capital Kiev, as it has done for weeks, for months, for three years. I will never get used to this ‘new normal’. Hopefully 2025 will bring real change.”