The reigning heavyweight world champion, Oleksandr Usyk, has reached out to the general public in order to convey his appreciation for their “concern” in the wake of his incarceration at the Krakow airport in Poland.
During the time that the boxer was being detained in handcuffs, the Ukrainian news outlet TVP Info was able to obtain footage of him.
Although the video his wife posted on Instagram was hazy, it clearly showed that there were uniformed officers all around him. She conveyed her appreciation for the fact that he was liberated and made it clear that he had not been held under arrest.
After some time had passed, Usyk, who is 37 years old, was disengaged due to what he referred to as a “misunderstanding.” On the other hand, he did not offer any additional details concerning the reason he was arrested.
The boxer posted a “Dear Friends” note on various social media sites. A misunderstanding took place as a result of the situation. It only took a few moments to find a solution. It is my sincere gratitude to everyone who voiced their concern.
Congratulations are in order for the Ukrainian government officials for providing such helpful assistance. It is also vital to demonstrate respect to the Polish police for carrying out their duty without regard to factors such as height, weight, reach, or regulation.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, voiced his “outrage” in a message that was delivered over Telegram. He was referring to the manner in which the police were acting “towards our citizen and champion.”
After uploading a photo of Usyk with their consul general in Krakow that he had previously shared, Mr. Zelenskyy made an announcement on X that he had begun an investigation into the matter.
Andrii Sybiha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement later on in which he acknowledged that he had contacted the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the statement, he stated that Ukraine saw the arrest as “disproportionate and unacceptable.”
“We immediately responded to the detention of Oleksandr Usyk in Krakow and facilitated his release,” Mr. Sybiha wrote in an article for X. “We were able to free him.”
According to the World Boxing Council (WBC), the World Boxing Organisation (WBO), and the World Boxing Association (WBA), Usyk is currently undefeated and is widely regarded as the finest heavyweight in the world.
In May, he won the fight against the British boxer Tyson Fury, which allowed him to become the undisputed champion for the first time since Lennox Lewis in the year 2000. After that, he presented the International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt to Daniel Dubois of the United Kingdom, who will be boxing against Anthony Joshua on Saturday. Dubois will be competing against Joshua.