World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has left Ukraine, where he returned after the Russian invasion broke out, to prepare for a rematch against Anthony Joshua, his agent told AFP on Friday.
"He went abroad to prepare for this revenge," said his agent living in kyiv, Yaroslav Lordkipanidze, by telephone.
The 35-year-old boxer, holder of the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts since his victory over the Briton in September, left his country "several days ago", said his manager without further details.
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The Ukrainian boxer had declared that he would "defend (s) his house, (s) his wife, (s) children, (s) loved ones" in an interview with CNN from the basement of his home in the kyiv region, days after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of invading troops to Ukraine.
The rematch against Joshua, who immediately demanded a rematch after his unanimous defeat by the judges in September, could take place this summer.
Like Usyk, several Ukrainian sportsmen have joined their country to participate in its defense, notably the former world lightweight champion and double Olympic gold medalist Vasiliy Lomachenko, who has returned home to Belgorod-Dnistrovsky, near from Odessa.
General mobilization having been declared in Ukraine, men aged 18 to 60 cannot leave the country without authorization.
