Oleksandr Usyk, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, recently hosted middleweight Olympic champion Oleksandr Khyzhniak at his training camp in Spain.
During the visit, Khyzhniak received a $100,000 reward from Usyk – who was eager to fulfil his pre-Olympic promise to reward Ukrainian medalists from the Paris Games.
The funds were transferred to the 29-year-old gold medalist via a personal card issued by Ready To Pay, which is a payment service developed by the Ukrainian’s team.
In addition to the reward, Khyzhniak signed a memorandum of cooperation with Ready To Fight, a platform created by Usyk’s team to support and promote boxing talent.
The agreement entrusts Ready To Fight with managing Khyzhniak’s career going forwards – focusing on personal branding, sponsorship opportunities, and professional growth.
Khyzhniak will also take an active role in the platform’s initiatives, collaborating with boxing federations and promoting amateur boxing worldwide.
Oleksandr Usyk, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, recently hosted middleweight Olympic champion Oleksandr Khyzhniak at his training camp in Spain
Usyk became the first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era in May, stripping Tyson Fury of his WBC title to write his name into the history books as one of boxing’s all-time greats
The pair will go toe-to-toe for a second time in Saudi Arabia on December 21 – with Turki Alalshikh taking to social media in October to announce the undercard for the rematch
Speaking about the reward and Khyzhniak’s achievements so far, Usyk said: ‘The Olympic champion is in my camp and, as I promised before the Olympic Games, $100,000 has been credited to his Ready To Pay card. This is only the beginning of what we can accomplish together.
‘For me, Olympic gold has always been and will always remain the most important achievement of my career, even more so than becoming an undisputed champion in professional boxing.
‘That’s why the Ready To Fight team and I are committed to supporting the development of amateur boxing. We want boxing to remain in the Olympics, to be managed transparently and efficiently, and free from corruption. I’m thrilled to welcome Oleksandr Khyzhniak to our team.’
Khyzhniak shared his own thoughts on Usyk’s involvement in his career, telling RTF that: ‘Cooperating with Oleksandr Usyk‘s team is an extremely valuable experience for me. I see here a team of professional, motivated, and dedicated individuals who are fully confident in their mission.’
He added, ‘I am considering turning to professionals, but I’m also thinking about winning a third Olympic medal. I will do everything in my power to keep boxing in the Olympic program and to popularise amateur boxing for children.’
Meanwhile, Serhii Lapin – the director of Usyk’s team and CEO of Ready To Fight – said: ‘RTF’s partnership with Oleksandr Khyzhniak is a fantastic opportunity to show how modern technologies can support boxers in building their careers.’
Lapin went on to add: ‘We already collaborate with several national amateur federations as a technology partner, and now we have an Olympic champion onboard.’
Usyk became the first undisputed world champion of the four-belt era in May, stripping Fury of his WBC title to write his name into the history books as one of boxing’s all-time greats.
Usyk is back in camp training for the rematch set to take place in Saudi Arabia next month
In the heavyweight division, 19-year-old Moses Itauma (pictured) is set to face his toughest test yet against Australia’s Demsey McKean
Fury was forced to hand over his belt to the Ukrainian after he lost via split decision with the scores reading 115-112, 113-114, and 114-113 in Usyk’s favour. However, will have the change to avenge his loss.
The pair will go toe-to-toe for a second time in Saudi Arabia on December 21 – with Turki Alalshikh taking to social media in October to announce the undercard for the rematch.
The co-main event will be a thrilling match-up between Ukraine’s Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) and Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov (9-0-1, 6 KOs).
Both men are known for their power and aggressive styles, with Bohachuk boasting an astounding knockout rate – having KO’d 23 of his opponents.
The Ukrainian puncher, trained by Manny Robles, is looking to bounce back from his defeat to Vergil Ortiz Jr and make a statement on the world stage.
Madrimov, a former amateur standout and Olympic alternate for Uzbekistan, has been on the fast track since turning professional.
Known for his slick boxing skills and ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw stances, Madrimov boats a 10-1-1 record.
Madrimov became a world champion at the age of 29 after 10 professional fights, but, lost his most recent fight against Terence Crawford.
Itauma, widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the sport, has been demolishing opponents with ease
Madrimov’s latest fight was a unanimous decision loss to Crawford, in which he lost his WBA super-welterweight title.
In the heavyweight division, 19-year-old British phenom Moses Itauma (10-0, 8 KOs) is set to face his toughest test yet against Australia’s Demsey McKean (22-1, 14 KOs).
Itauma, widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the sport, has been demolishing opponents with ease, knocking eight of his opponents out.
Standing at 6ft4′ with an imposing frame, the young fighter has already drawn comparisons to a young Mike Tyson for his fearsome power and relentless pressure.
McKean, a 6ft6′ southpaw, will experience and durability to the contest set to take place on December 21.
A former rugby league player turned boxer, McKean has fought internationally, including on high-profile cards in the UK and the US.
While coming off a recent loss to Filip Hrgović, McKean remains a credible gatekeeper in the heavyweight division.
For Itauma, a win over an opponent of McKean’s calibre would further cement his reputation as a future title contender.
In another heavyweight bout, Johnny Fisher (12-0, 11 KOs), also known as ‘The Romford Bull,’ will take on British journeyman and Dave Allen (21-6-2, 18 KOs).
This will be Fisher’s first fight since his surgery – which ruled him out of his scheduled fight with Andrii Rudenko on the Catterall-Prograis undercard.
Dave Allen, a seasoned and colourful veteran, has become a cult figure in British boxing – fighting the likes of Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz.
After a brief retirement, Allen returned to the ring in 2023 and remains a dangerous opponent, capable of upsetting less experienced fighters.
Dennis McCann and Peter McGrail have also been pitted against each other, while Isaac Lowe and Lee McGregor will also go toe-to-toe on the undercard.
