Oleksandr Usyk, the unified heavyweight world champion, signs contract with Ukrainian football club FC Polissia
Oleksandr Usyk has a signed a one-year deal with Ukrainian football club FC Polissia; next month Usyk puts the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles on the line against British challenger Daniel Dubois
Thursday 20 July 2023 11:17, UK
Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion, has signed a contract with Ukrainian football club FC Polissia.
Usyk did make an appearance for Polissia as a substitute in a friendly match last year and has now solidified his relationship with the club with a one-year deal.
The team announced: "The president of the club Hennadiy Butkevich and Oleksandr Usyk concluded an official agreement on football cooperation for one year.
- Liam Smith: Loser of rematch with Chris Eubank Jr should retire
- Rising heavyweight Jared Anderson intends to be 'the best of all-time'
- Stream Sky Sports boxing on NOW
"Usyk will perform under number 17."
The club stated that further details as to what the "football co-operation" agreement would entail will be revealed later.
Trending
- Transfer Centre LIVE! Bayern want Dortmund's English winger Gittens
- PL Predictions: Forest to turn up heat on stubborn Ange
- Liverpool latest: Slot says it's 'so hard' to win a league
- Littler targets nine-dart history: 'It's becoming a frustration'
- Tarkowski: Everton are confident of getting result at Man City
- Amorim: Man Utd are maybe in one of their lowest moments
- Corberan leaves West Brom to take over at Valencia
- Man Utd latest: Dalot spends Christmas Eve helping homeless
- Is this the man to dethrone Usyk? 'He would knock him out!'
- How does a 'different' Arsenal cope without Saka?
Usyk does have a defence of his titles coming up next month. He will box British challenger Daniel Dubois on August 26 in Poland.
That will be Usyk's first fight in a year since defeating Anthony Joshua in their rematch in Saudi Arabia.
Usyk's negotiations with Tyson Fury for an undisputed heavyweight championship fight ground to a halt earlier this year but the clamour to see that fight will likely only increase if both come through their next bouts.
"Let's make it happen," Usyk said of a potential bout against Fury, adding: "I am ready.
"After I fight Dubois I am ready to go, [but] my main focus now is August 26."
In the meantime Usyk looks like he will extend his sporting interests from boxing into football as well.
