Boxing - Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury - Heavyweight World Title - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - December 22, 2024 Oleksandr Usyk celebrates after winning the Heavyweight World Title REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
(Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed Oleksandr Usyk's victory over Tyson Fury to retain the WBA (Super), WBO and WBC world heavyweight titles in Riyadh, saying the boxer embodied the fighting spirit of Ukrainians.
Undefeated Usyk, who took Fury's WBC belt in their first bout in May, beat the British two-time world champion in the rematch by unanimous decision, handing him the second loss of his professional career.
"Victory! So important and so needed by all of us right now," Zelenskiy, who had led Ukraine in its war with Russia since Moscow invaded its neighbour in 2022, wrote on X.
"By defending his championship belt, Oleksandr Usyk proves: we are Ukrainians and we will not give up what is ours! No matter how hard it gets - we will overcome everything.
"Whether it is in the ring, on the battlefield or in the diplomatic arena - we will fight and we will not give up what is ours! Congratulations on your victory, Cossack! Congratulations on your victory, Ukraine!"
Former world champion Wladimir Klitschko, who enlisted in the Ukrainian military reserves before Russia's invasion, was at the Kingdom Arena to witness Usyk's victory.
"Ukraine is fortunate to have you. You're a true standard-bearer of our resilience... glory to Ukraine," Klitschko wrote on X.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
