While the world is watching the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some of boxing's biggest and best fighters are also dealing with the fallout. While former heavyweight champions Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko are set to take up arms in the conflict, several active boxers are attempting to navigate these world-changing events even as they prepare for career-defining fights.
Vasiliy Lomachenko is reportedly close to signing a fight with unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. In the wake of the Russian invasion, Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix reported on Thursday that Lomachenko had left Ukraine for Greece where he was "seeking refuge at a local monastery."
Lomachenko posted a message on Instagram accompanied by art showing hands painted in the colors of the Russian and Ukrainian flags and a dove stating, "Prayer for the peace of the whole world and the enlightenment of the peoples of the earth."
WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has taken the opposite approach of Lomachenko, returning to Ukraine from the United Kingdom after the invasion began. Plans for Usyk's rematch with Anthony Joshua in May or June have become increasingly uncertain as a result of the invasion.
On Thursday, Usyk posted a video to Instagram confirming he had returned to Ukraine. In the video, he addressed critics who claimed the heavyweight champion had "ran away" from the invasion.
"Some wrote to me that I ran away," Usyk said in the video. "I didn't, I was at work but I'm back, I'm home. Friends, we have to unite because it's a hard time right now and I'm really emotional and worry about my country, and our people."
Viktor Postol is set to fight Gary Antuanne Russell on the undercard of Saturday's Showtime card in Las Vegas. Postol told Yahoo Sports he intends on moving forward with the fight even as his wife and twin sons are at their home near Kyiv.
"Everything is good for them at this time," Postol said on Thursday. "Obviously, it is not good and, mentally, it's difficult [to prepare for the fight]."
