Oleksandr Usyk detained in Poland; Zelensky helps secure his release

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on social media that heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk was detained Tuesday at Krakow airport in Poland and then released after the intervention of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

Usyk, of Ukrainian descent, was detained after trying to board a flight to Valencia, Spain, where he is due to begin preparations for his heavyweight title rematch against Tyson Fury on Dec. 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a source told ESPN. The source said Usyk and his trainer, Sergey Lapin, were prevented from boarding the plane after an airline official deemed them unfit to fly.

According to a source, Usyk explained that they were fine and were exhausted from a nearly 14-hour flight from Kyiv, the capital of war-torn Ukraine, which included a 557-mile drive. Between the language barrier and Usyk’s insistence that they were not affected in any way, he was detained.

Usyk’s wife, Katharina, was traveling with Usyk and Lapin. She posted a video on social media showing Usyk being led in handcuffs onto the plane’s bridge. She said it was “not a crime.”

“There was a misunderstanding, it was quickly resolved. Thanks to everyone who expressed their concerns. Thanks to Ukrainian diplomats for the active support. And respect to the Polish police for doing their duty without regard to height, weight, height or emblems,” Usyk wrote on social media.

Zelensky wrote on social media that he had spoken to Usyk after his arrest. His post included a photo of Usyk next to a Ukrainian official.

“I am disappointed with this attitude towards our compatriot and hero. I have instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Sipia and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Igor Klimenko to immediately investigate all the details of the incident at the Krakow airport,” Zelensky wrote in his post.

“Now everything is fine, our hero has been released, he is no longer held captive.”

Usyk, 37, is the No. 1 ranked boxer in the 55kg division according to ESPN. The Olympic gold medalist defeated Fury by decision in May to become boxing’s first undisputed heavyweight champion since 2002. Usyk is expected to be ringside in London on Saturday for Anthony Joshua’s title fight against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium. Usyk defeated Joshua to become unified champion in 2021 and again in a rematch a year later.