BOXING ace Oleksandr Usyk has pledged to fight Russia to death. He claims that he "has the gun" and doesn't mind killing "if he needs to."
As part of the Kyiv Territorial Defence, the 2012 London Olympic champion and undisputed king of cruiserweight has taken up arms.
Oleksandr Usyk stated that he was ready to fight Russia until the end
The father-of-3, aged 35, has joined his best friend Vasiliy Lomachenko, two-time Olympic champion and legendary heavyweight brothers Wladimir Vitali of Kyiv in trading guns for gloves.
The boxing champion sent this chilling message to his close friends, in which he stated that he would be willing to kill and even die for the Russians' "the lives" of his family members.
Usyk stated to CNN that if they want to take my life or those of my closest ones, then I will have to do it.
"But that is not what I want. "But I don’t want that. I don’t want to shoot. I don’t want anyone to die, but if they are going to be killing me, then I will not have any choice.
"It may sound sentimental but my soul belongs the Lord, and my body, honour, and dignity belong to my country and to my family.
"So there's no fear, absolutely zero fear. It's all bafflement. How could that be possible in the 21st Century?
Monday's photo showed him preparing for battle, with a machine gun swinging around his shoulder. He was receiving the support of Anthony Joshua, a Brit rival - whom he will face later in the year.
Usyk stated that he wasn't sure when he would return the ring and added: "My country, my honour, are more important than a championship belt."
The Ukrainian Orthodox Christian devoutly prayed for help and appealed to the Russian people.
In an Instagram video, he wrote: "Good morning everybody. My name is Oleksandr Usyk. I would like to meet the Russian people.
"If we regard ourselves as brothers, Orthodox ones," don't send your children to our country.
Also, he sent President Putin a direct message requesting an end to war and peace.
He said, "Please sit down and negotiate it without any claims."
"Our children, wives, and grannies are hiding under the floors. We are here in our country and we can't do it any other.
"We are defending. Stop this war. There is no war.
