Muhammad Ali once said: “Life is like a boxing match, where defeat is declared not when you fall but when you refuse to stand again.”
I don’t follow many sports, but I’ve been fascinated by boxing all my life. As a teenager I watched Frank Bruno, Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank and Lennox Lewis. I’ve been into the sweet science ever since.
Four boxers have been on my mind in recent weeks.
Vitali Klitschko is three-time world heavyweight boxing champion. In 2003 he fought a dramatic war with Lennox Lewis, with the British fighter behind on the scorecards when the fight was stopped due to a horrific cut on Klitschko’s face.
Lewis won the fight by technical knockout but retired rather than face the iron-chinned Klitschko a second time.
Vitali’s brother Wladimir dominated heavyweight boxing from 2004-2015. He retired in 2017 after losing a thrilling fight against Anthony Joshua which saw both men climb off the canvas.
Oleksandr Usyk was the first man to hold all four world titles at cruiserweight.
In 2021 he became world heavyweight champion, defeating Anthony Joshua by unanimous decision at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Vasiliy Lomachenko is one of the top pound for pound boxers in the world and among the best amateur boxers of all time.
A former world champion in three weight classes, his exceptional footwork, head movement, speed and ability to switch stances make him a joy to watch.
Brave boxers
What do these four fighters have in common? All of them are Ukrainian. And all have returned home for the biggest fight of their lives – the battle to save their country.
Vitali Klitschko has been the mayor of Kyiv since 2014.
He and his brother Wladimir have joined the city’s defence force. Since Putin’s invasion the two brothers have been an inspirational sight, walking the streets of the ravaged city to survey the damage caused by Russian missile blasts.
Usyk postponed his rematch with Anthony Joshua to return to Kyiv and join the Ukrainian Army.
Lomachenko also cancelled his boxing plans to take up arms in defence of his country.
The most remarkable thing is that, apart from Vitali, none of them needed to be there.
Wladimir divides his time between Germany and Los Angeles. Usyk was in Britain preparing for his rematch with Joshua. Lomachenko lives in California.
All four men are millionaires. They could have made generous donations from their private wealth and backed that up with supportive public statements from safe havens in the UK, Germany and America.
No one would have accused them of not playing their part.
But no. In an incredible display of courage, they decided to tie their own fates to that of their country. Whether they’re on the front lines or are kept farther back to play a role inspiring the troops, I do not know.
In either case they risk being killed by Russia’s rocket bombardment. And if Putin uses chemical weapons they could suffer a slow and agonising death.
Cowardice
Their bravery and strength of character are beyond comprehension.
Contrast that with the malignant ineptitude of the dead-eyed, moon-faced coward who launched this vicious, needless war.
Putin is now arresting his own citizens and threatening 15 years in jail to anyone who tells the truth about the invasion of Ukraine.
Contrast that, too, with the incompetence, sleaze and corruption that oozes from the heart and arteries of Britain’s government.
The Conservative Party took £2 million in Russian donations. They allowed oligarchs to buy up half of London. They couldn’t prevent Russia using a nerve agent on British soil, killing an innocent woman.
Russian influence
The Tories failed to prevent Russia influencing the Brexit vote, then refused to investigate the extent of that influence and sat on a report outlining their carefree attitude to foreign interference until after the 2019 general election.
Boris Johnson partied his way through Covid, allowing Downing Street staff to drink suitcases of booze during lockdown.
He gave a peerage to Evgeny Lebedev, a KGB officer’s son and the owner of the Evening Standard.
He refused to fire Dominic Cummings after his drive to Barnard Castle. Nor would he fire Priti Patel after she was found to have bullied staff.
Patel, now Home Secretary, announced visa centres had been set up in Calais and Lille to help Ukrainian migrants, only for it to turn out no such centres existed yet.
We have the worst government at the worst time.
Russia’s war makes me feel furious and helpless. All I can do is donate to the cause, be willing to pay double for fuel and heating if it means we starve Putin of oil and gas money, and be ready to take in Ukrainian refugees.
The Klitschkos. Usyk. Lomachenko. Those four fighters exemplify the extraordinary resilience and belief of the men and women of Ukraine.
Time and again, Putin has knocked the Ukrainians down. Time and again they have got back up. Let’s hope they’re still standing when the final bell rings.
