Via Huck Allen: Top Rank’s Bob Arum is reporting that Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko have been given permission by Ukraine’s culture minister to leave the country to fight Anthony Joshua and George Kambosos Jr.
Arum said that the Ukrainian government believes it would be a great view to make public if they let Lomachenko and Usyk go to compete in their important matches.
If Usyk and Lomachenko leave Ukraine now, it is unclear what the situation will be when they return in two to three months.
IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champions Usyk and Lomachenko, both Ukrainians, defended against the Russian invasion for weeks.
Usyk hasn’t said if he will leave Ukraine, but Lomachenko is said to want to train for a title match against IBF/WBA/WBC Franchise/WBO lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. on June 5 in Australia.
If Usyk chooses to stay in defense against the Russians, Joshua will need to find another opponent for his next bout in June or July.
Bob Arum said to Fanatics View. “They realized it was a huge publicity corner let them go out [of Ukraine] and train and participate in championship matches [against Kambosos and Joshua].
“Hopefully the war will end, and if not, go back to defensive mode,” Arum continued about Usyk and Lomachenko. ”
“So I don’t know where that stands with either of them, whether they will accept the offer of Ukraine’s culture minister to leave and train for a fight,” Arum said.
Many boxing fans will not be pleased to hear that Lomachenko and Usyk are leaving Ukraine at the moment.
These two brave warriors are defending against a much larger nation armed to the teeth with modern weapons, and are now systematically bombarding the ruins.
If Lomachenko and Usyk leave now, they will be seen by some fans as giving up on their country as they need every fighter they can get their hands on.
“They are all heroes. Everyone here in the United States and around the world is pulling for the Ukrainians. They proved themselves to be a brave man.
“I pray that brothers Klitschko, Usyk and Lomachenko are safe because they are my friends and they mean a lot. But the sacrifices that the Ukrainian people have made are great, and everyone.
“The work they are doing in fighting this monster is for the good of their country and civilization,” Arum said.
