‘I have double respect for him’ – Usyk reveals Anthony Joshua’s classy call to Wladimir Klitschko

OLEKSANDR USYK has revealed Anthony Joshua’s stylish call to Wladimir Klitschko.

Usyk, 36, has twice beaten Joshua for the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles and has great respect for his former opponent – in and out of the ring.

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The cat’s homeland of Ukraine has been at war since it was attacked by Russia just over 12 months ago.

And Joshua, 33, reached out to Usyk’s fellow Ukrainian and another of his former opponents, Klitschko, to see if he could help in any way.

Speaking to Parimatch Ukraine, Usyk revealed: “Anthony Joshua called Wladimir Klitschko and asked him how he could be useful and help Ukraine.

“I have double respect for him for that.”

After the war broke out, Usyk immediately went to the front to serve his country.

The southpaw held a machine gun as he patrolled with the Ukraine Defense Battalion but prayed he would never have to kill a Russian invader.

A devout husband and father of three, Usyk only left his training camp for the Joshua rematch when injured victims in military hospitals urged him to travel to Saudi Arabia to defend his heavyweight belts.

Before their clash in Jeddah last August, AJ spoke of his respect for Usyk.

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He said: “If it were me, yes it would definitely have an impact and I don’t know if it would be positive or negative.

“I don’t know how I would deal with it, but I know it would be tough. I’ve never lived in a conflict like this, so I don’t know how it would affect me.

“I respect what he did 100 percent. It’s his home, isn’t it – you have to defend your home.

“It’s such a shame that civilians in wars get the worst when it’s a political matter. He’s just trying to defend his community, so I respect him.

“I think I would have done the same, not as a boxer or a warrior, just as a general person.

“People have decided not to leave their homes and to defend themselves. It has nothing to do with being a warrior. I respect what he did.”

Usyk’s team are currently in talks with Tyson Fury’s representatives over a historic heavyweight unification bout.

However, a deal for the scheduled April 29 fight is yet to be finalized as Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk claims that Fury’s camp turned down a 60/40 for the winning offer.

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