Klitschkos, Usyk and Lomachenko are the latest fighters to answer the call and have proven even more heroic outside the ring.
WE know fighters show their bravery every time they climb the rope – conscious that they are putting their own lives and the risk of potentially life-changing injuries.
But it takes a very special kind of courage to trade your gloves for an AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle and volunteer to face a ferocious enemy armed with superior weapons knowing there’s a good chance you’ll get killed. .
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Ukrainians Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk – all world champions – proved to be even more heroic outside the ring as they battled against the Russian invaders – especially if they don’t have to.
There have been many famous and unknown fighters who have won extraordinary medals on the battlefield for going out of their way of duty – I picked just three of them.
Harry Daniels, who competed for Great Britain, at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, never turned professional as a soldier during his career.
In March 1915 in France, Daniels, a Sergeant in the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, and his unit were ordered to march on acres of No Man’s land.
They had to storm the German trenches after cutting through the barbed wire. In front of dense machine gun bullets and despite being wounded, Daniels still tried to complete his mission.
Harry was presented with the Victoria Cross. But he wasn’t finished with the Germans yet. For even more brave acts on the Western front, he also won the MC.
Daniels, one of 13 children and orphaned at the age of 6, became an Lt.
Colonel – In recognition of his outstanding bravery, a street has been named after him in his hometown of Wymondham, Norfolk.
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George Carpentier, the handsome French idol, was a European lightweight champion when World War I broke out.
He immediately joined the French Air Force and quickly became one of its trump card pilots. There is no record of how many German planes he shot down, but he must have been a special man.
Known as the Orchid Man throughout his boxing career, George won the Croix de Guerre and the Medaille Militaire – two of France’s highest military honors.
When the war ended, Carpentier won the world light heavyweight title, and in July 1921 he challenged Jack Dempsey for his world heavyweight crown.
He KOs in round 4 but the Jersey City fight made history – it was boxing’s first million-dollar showdown.
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Barney Ross, world champion in light, light and heavyweight division enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, in April 1942.
Ross, the son of a Chicago Rabbi, escaped trial for hitting the NCO for making anti-Semitic remarks and was instead sent to the Pacific to fight the Japanese.
During the Battle of Guadalcanal, Ross and three teammates were trapped under enemy fire.
All were wounded but Ross was the only one able to fight.
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Barney collected the rifles and grenades of his teammates and fought alone with nearly a dozen Japanese soldiers throughout the night. At dawn, Ross killed each of them.
Two of his Marines died from their wounds, and Barney carried the third – who was six stone heavier than him – on his shoulders to safety.
Ross for his incredible feats received the Silver Star – America’s third highest military honor, and President Roosevelt specially presented him as one of the greatest famous war heroes. of America.
President John F. Kennedy said, “The great crisis produces great men and great acts of courage”.
Words that fit the four musketeers Vitali, Wladimir, Vasiliy and Oleksandr fit like a ten-ounce glove.
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https://www.the-sun.com/sport/4869388/ukraine-russia-war-klitschko-lomachenko-usyk/ Klitschkos, Usyk and Lomachenko are the latest fighters to answer the call and have proven even more heroic outside the ring.