By Huck Allen: Bob Arum of Top Rank is reporting that Oleksandr Usyk and Vasyl Lomachenko have been granted permission by the cultural minister of Ukraine to leave the country for their title fights against Anthony Joshua and George Kambosos Jr.
Arum says the Ukrainian government believes that this would be a great angle for publicity if they let Lomachenko and Usyk leave to compete in their important fights.
If Usyk and Lomachenko leave Ukraine now, it’s unclear what the situation will be when they return in two to three months.
IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Usyk and Lomachenko, both Ukrainians, have been defending against the Russian invasion for weeks.
Usyk hasn’t said whether he’ll leave Ukraine, but Lomachenko reportedly wants to train for a title fight against IBF/WBA/WBC Franchise/WBO lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. on June 5th in Australia.
If Usyk chooses to stay behind to defend against the Russians, Joshua will need to find another opponent for his next fight in June or July.
“Ukrainian government, which is tremendous, is cooperating with us as far as Lomachenko and also Usyk,” said Bob Arum to the Fanatics View. “They realize it’s a tremendous publicity angle for them to come out [of Ukraine] and train and participate in title fights [against Kambosos and Joshua].
“Hopefully, the war will be over, and if it isn’t, go back into defense mode,” Arum continued about Usyk and Lomachenko. ”
“So, I don’t know where that stands with either guy, whether they’re going to accept the offer of the Cultural Minister of Ukraine to leave and train for a fight,” said Arum.
Many boxing fans won’t be pleased with learning that Lomachenko and Usyk are leaving Ukraine at this moment.
These two brave warriors are defending against a much bigger country that is armed to the teeth with modern weaponry, and are now systematically bombarding from afar to ruins.
If Lomachenko and Usyk leave now, they’ll be viewed by some fans as abandoning their country when they need every single fighter they can get.
“They’re all heroes. Everybody here in the United States and around the world are all pulling for the Ukrainians. They demonstrate what a brave people they are.
“I pray that the Klitschko brothers, Usyk and Lomachenko are safe because they’re friends of mine and they mean a lot. But the sacrifices that the Ukrainian people have made is just enormous, and everybody.
“The job that they’re doing in standing up to this monster for the sake of their country and civilization is to be commended,” said Arum.