MMA star Olena Kolesnik cried after her compatriot Oleksandr Usyk’s stunning win over Tyson Fury.
Kolesnik watched the boxing title fight from Las Vegas, where she has been living since March 2022 amid the war between Ukraine and Russia.
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Usyk, 37, beat Fury, 35, on points in Saudi Arabia to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
Kolesnik said that more than a victory in the ring, this is a victory for all Ukrainian soldiers fighting a heinous war against Russia.
She told SunSport: “I personally cried with joy. I supported him with all my heart.
“It was a tough fight, Tyson Fury is one of the greatest boxers in history and Usyk is not that tall, nor does he have the reach that Tyson has.
“But he did something that inspired all Ukrainians, he did something incredible.”
Kolesnik has been personally affected by the war.
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More than 30 innocent people lost their lives and Kolesnik fears the region will eventually be handed over to Russia.
Kolesnik also spoke about the harsh reality of serving on the front lines in Ukraine.
She added: “I know a lot of athletes from my country who died defending our land.”
“The strangest thing now is that a lot of Ukrainian soldiers have died, very good skilled soldiers, so now they send local people to fight. From the age of 18-60, they take you to war.
“And most of the people have never even fired a gun and they don’t know what to do. It’s terrifying.”
“The more men who die, the less Ukrainian our generation will remain.”
“A friend of mine, his name is Sergei, recently won the World Championship in Combat Jujitsu in Italy.
“Then, he was back as a soldier in battle. He rested for a week and then he went back to defend our country.”
Kolesnik, 33, will have to put the grief of war in her country behind her and focus on her Bellator bout against Sarah Collins on Saturday.
But she will travel to Dublin, where there will be familiar faces to cheer her on.
Kolesnik said: “I’m proud to be fighting in Bellator right now.
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“Don’t forget that they are more local in Europe, where I can invite more people from Ukraine who have fled the war to Europe to watch my fight.
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