Our Oleksandr Usyk Biography portrays facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents, Family, Wife (Yekaterina Usyk), Children, and Siblings. More so, the Boxers’ Lifestyle, Net worth Salary, and Personal Life.
Simply put, the duty here is to convey a detailed overview of this Ukrainian professional boxer. Our story starts from when he was born until when he became famous.
To sharpen your autobiography appetite, look at the gallery of happenings surrounding his life from the beginning. Below is a step-by-step snapshot of Oleksandr Usyk’s Biography.
Yes, we all know him for his superior footwork and stamina to wear down opponents. Again, he is the first cruiserweight in history to hold all four major world championships — the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, and WBO.
Irrespective of his achievements, there is every possibility that you have not read a concise version of Oleksandr Usyk’s Biography. It will be an exciting ride as we bring you the thrilling tale of the Boxer. Without further ado, let’s begin.
Oleksandr Usyk Childhood Story:
For Biography Starters, he bears the nickname The Cat or Olek. Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk was born on the 17th day of January 1987 to his Mother and Father. The professional Boxer was born in Simferopol, Crimean Oblast, Ukrainian SSR.
Behold, the Boxer in his earliest childhood. Could this be one of Oleksandr Usyk’s parents – his beloved Mum? She looks like the woman who gave him the most tenderness of motherly care.
Growing-up Years:
After his birth, the Ukrainian Boxer got thrust into a life where his only release was Sports. So, he engaged in diverse kinds of Athletic games.
As a child, Oleksandr Usyk’s parents approved him of participating in many sports, namely; wrestling, hand-to-hand combat, and karate.
Also to note, the youngster did enjoy playing soccer from when he walked. He took part in association football. Little Olek became trained at the SC Tavriya Simferopol, a specialized Sports School of Olympic reserve (club’s soccer academy).
He was never a bench warmer, but always a starter throughout his football experience. However, at 15, he switched to boxing. The switch was a shocker to many.
Playing soccer was too much a cost for Oleksandr Usyk’s parents. However, Boxing was more straightforward and more friendly. Thanks to that, he picked up his first pair of boxing gloves in 2002.
Oleksandr Usyk Family Background:
The Ukrainian Boxer came from a poor home. His primary reason for switching to Boxing was the high cost involved in venturing into professional football. The pieces of training, types of equipment, and facilities for soccer were expensive.
He had to take on petty jobs to support his low-income parents. Oleksandr Usyk made a living on farms, grazed cattle, collected and sold fruit (apricots and peaches) and ice cream on the streets in other to make ends meet.
Oleksandr Usyk Family Origin:
Just as the name suggests, Oleksandr is not English. His name “Oleksandr” depicts either Greek or Ukrainian ancestry. Oleksandr or Alexander in the English language means defending men. Oleksandr Usyk hails from Simferopol.
Having being born in Simferopol, which is the second-largest city in the Crimean Peninsula. Simferopol is also the capital of the (Autonomous) Republic of Crimea. Even though the Republic of Crimea has shared boundaries between Ukraine and Russia.
The people of Simferopol are Ukrainians. So, for this purpose of our Biography Story, we can deduce that Oleksandr Usyk is Ukrainian. Beneath is a photo that shows the roots of the talented Boxer.
Oleksandr Usyk Early Career:
After switching to Boxing at 15, the Ukrainian talent trained vigorously to prepare for upcoming matches. So by 2006, at 19, he had won a few games.
At the European Championships in 2006, he emerged triumphant in his first three games against his opponents.
However, in the semi-final, he was outclassed by Russian star Matvey Korobov. Progressively, he then moved up to lightweight later and won the Strandja Cup in 2008.
Moreso, he moved up another weight class and moved to the Olympic qualifier, where he became the victor in his matches.
Oleksandr Usyk Education:
Although it seems his decision to become a boxer came later, Olek does not reflect it in his results. As stated earlier, he wanted to be a footballer and so attended a soccer academy.
Oleksandr Usyk attended SC Tavriya Simferopol specialized sports school of Olympic reserve (club’s football academy).
Nevertheless, after his switch to Boxing in 2002, he enrolled and graduated from Lviv State University of Physical Culture.
While at the Lviv State University of Physical Culture, he specialized in sports education.
FC Dynamo Kyiv’s Andriy Husin was also a student there, one of the most capped Ukrainian Internationals of all time. However, he sadly passed away in a motorcycle accident in 2014.
Oleksandr Usyk Biography – Road to Fame:
After winning gold at the 2008 European Championships, Olex won many more matches that qualified him for the Olympics.
More so, as an amateur, Usyk bagged gold medals at the 2011 Championships and 2012 Olympics, both in the heavyweight division.
Usyk turned pro in 2013 at 26. He later signed a promotional deal with the Klitschko brothers’ K2 Promotions, fighting in the Cruiserweight division. In addition, Oleksandr Usyk engaged in his 3rd professional fight in April 2014.
He made his debut in Germany at the Koenig Pilsener Arena, defeating Ben Nsafoah via a 3rd-round knockout.
Nonetheless, Usyk triumphed in his first title on October 4, 2014, via round 7 technical knockout for the Interim WBO Inter-Continental cruiserweight title.
He defended the title two months later and was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage.
Oleksandr Usyk Biography- Rise to Fame:
Winning the hearts of his fans, Oleksandr Usyk continued to take part and triumph in most of his matches.
In 2016 he defeated Krzysztof Glowacki on points in an exciting fight to bag the WBO title. He then landed the WBC title against Mairis Briedis.
Not long after, he engaged in the most important matches in boxing history. At the final of the 2018 – 2020 World Boxing Super Series of Cruiserweight, he bagged the WBA and IBF titles beating Murat Gassiev by unanimous decision after 12-rounds.
Usyk became the first Boxer to hold those belts (WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles at the same time) in the cruiserweight division. He unified all four major world titles.
Moving up to the heavyweight division, Olex had championed his fight against former world title challenger Derek Chisora in October 2020.
As a result, he would be the first in line to fight for the WBO heavyweight title held by Anthony Joshua later in 2021. Building up to this super fight, Usyk made a cryptic message to Anthony Joshua.
Do you think Oleksandr Usyk is in any relationship?:
Now a household name in his native Ukraine since his cruiserweight division exploits, Oleksandr Usyk is not single. He became married to a Ukrainian, Kateryna. The couple dated and later tied the knot in 2009.
The marriage has been sailing smoothly since its inception. Though not a public person, the Ukrainian wife of Olex is reportedly bright, Gorgeous, and has an outstanding personality. She has no social media presence, but does her best not to disappoint her followers.
About Oleksandr Usyk Children:
The 5 feet 7 inches Kateryna, together with her hubby, Oleksandr Usyk has 3 kids. The children were born in 2009, 2013 and 2015, respectively. Even though much is unknown about them, they now live in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Oleksandr Usyk Family Life:
As often called by his ever-increasing fans, the cat loves his family so much and supports them whenever the need arises. It was the same love that drove him earlier into doing petty jobs to assist his parents.
His parents have continued to show their unparallel support right from childhood even to date. Now, let’s take a quick breakdown of his family members.
About Oleksandr Usyk Parents:
As aforementioned, Oleksandr Usyk’s parents were not financially buoyant. It was apparent they were farmers and had to engage in menial jobs to keep the body together.
It was his dad who suggested the switch to Olex, to which he agreed.
Both his parents are from Ukraine and still support their son, especially morally, throughout his pro career. It was Oleksandr’s mother that purchased a travel ticket for him for his boxing debut.
About Oleksandr Usyk Siblings:
It is also very possible and most likely that the cruiserweight division Boxing Champion has siblings, whether half or full of blood.
Moreover, Oleksandr Usyk’s Siblings should be proud to associate with their brother, even though we are still yet to identify them.
About Oleksandr Usyk Relatives:
The Ukrainian-Born athlete belongs to a family that goes a long way to keep their household information as discreet as possible.
Howbeit, Oleksandr Usyk should have other relatives aside from his parents and siblings. His other relatives comprise his uncles, aunts, and grandparents.
Personal Life:
Like most southpaw boxers, Alex leads his fight with the right hand. In addition, he stands with the right foot forward, using the left hand for the most powerful blows. Contrariwise, aside from boxing, he enjoys many other things.
Usyk loves to dance and often posts videos online of him grooving around in the gym and even outside. He performs the hopak, which is a traditional Ukrainian dance.
All that dancing could explain why he is so nimble and light on his feet!
Some of Usyk’s favourite hobbies include swimming, working out at the gym, taking long walks with his family, and going to the theatre.
He also has a keenness for psychology. Unsurprisingly, his boxing idol is Muhammad Ali, a figure that inspires so many to begin pro boxing.
The Ukrainian athlete has a substantial rising number of fans and supporters on his social media platforms. Usyk has an increasing number of about 1m followers on Instagram and 66.5k Twitter followers.
Oleksandr Usyk Lifestyle:
The undisputed cruiserweight champion has made lots of money engaging in scuffles. Oleksandr Usyk has emerged tops in many championships and awards that has indeed pushed his worth throughout his career.
He can afford luxury houses and cars. He owns a beautiful mansion in Kyiv, Ukraine. Below is a clip that displays one of his new cars.
Oleksandr Usyk’s Net Worth:
Usyk is no doubt earning enough income from his career as a boxer. He is one of the wealthiest Boxers.
After a long boxing career, Olex has successfully made a staggering net worth of around $4 Million, according to media reports.
His purse per fight payout is around $1.5 million. However, his fight payout should increase if he defeats Anthony Joshua in his next fight.
Endorsements:
Boxing apparel and equipment company BoxRaw endorses the Ukrainian champ. He has also promoted the brand across all his social media.
Oleksandr Usyk Untold Facts:
Besides, the life story told so far, here are further rare details about Oleksandr Usyk and his fascinating boxing career.
Birthday Coincidence:
Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk was born on the same day as his hero, Muhammad Ali, on January 17, 1987. Perhaps destiny has a way of choosing who fills up what position at a particular time.
Before Boxing:
The Multi-talented champion, while playing football, was a member of the Ukrainian Premier League from its founding, and became tops at the first Ukrainian Premier League, making them one of only three teams that have ever held this title.
A proud countryman:
The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation took place in April 2014.
Amid the annexation, Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk declared he would never exchange his Ukrainian citizenship for Russian citizenship and that he considered Crimea as part of Ukraine.
Nonetheless, he is exceptionally grateful for his Russian fans and does not try to create a divide.
Strong work ethic:
The pride of Ukraine has always had a strong work ethic right from his childhood. He earned his living on farms, grazed cattle, and collected and sold fruit and ice cream while in his early teens.
The same ethics has seen him succeed throughout his Boxing career, as seen in the clips below.
Fact #5: Foundation and Charity:
To give back to society, the Ukrainian has unveiled his foundation called the Oleksandr Usyk foundation. The organization’s mission is to take care of the needy and help the less privileged.
Oleksandr Usyk Religion:
Alex is a Christian. He came to Orthodox Christianity as a child in a hospital. Usyk reports that after a priest had visited with sweets, he drew close to ask where God is.
Oleksandr asked how to come to God, where he lives, and how he sees and hears. Since then has remained an Orthodox faithful.
A Movie Star:
Usyk is also a star on the silver screen! He has been featured in the Ukrainian version of ‘The Stolen Princess,’ an animated film from 2018.
Even more so, he played the voice of one of two Troyeschyna gangsters alongside strongman competitor Vasyl Virastyuk!
Wiki Summary:
To get an on-the-glance summary of his life history, use the table below to get concise information about the renowned Ukrainian Boxer.
| Biography Inquiries: | wiki Answers |
|---|---|
| Full Name: | Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Usyk |
| Nickname: | The Cat and Olek |
| Date of Birth: | 17th Day of January 1987 |
| Place of Birth: | Simferopol, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Profession: | Boxer |
| Sun Sign (Zodiac): | Aquarius |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 inches (1.91 m) |
| Religion: | Orthodox |
| Residence: | Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Nationality: | Ukrainian |
| Social Media: | @oleksandr_usyk_officale |
Conclusion:
It’s our hope you enjoyed the Oleksandr Usyk Biography and Childhood Story. Aside from his strong work ethic, he remained focused and unwavering in his boxing career.
Above all, we have discovered that whether to be excellent in life does not depend on anybody, not even parents. Life will always give its challenges, but what you turn each of them, to rely on one’s attitude.
Although from the poor ground and with a dream to become a star footballer, Olek refuses to give up on destiny. We guess he knows that where there is a will, there is a way. Even so, Oleksandr Usyk is linking back up with Vasyl Lomachenko’s father/trainer, Anatoly Lomachenko for Anthony Joshua’s fight.
He has left no stone unturned. However, as spectators and fans, all we can do is hope for the best result. While it is a history-making opportunity for Usyk, it’s a time for Anthony Joshua to consolidate on his pre-existing victories.
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Cole Xavier
Hi there! I'm Cole Xavier, a writer and storyteller with a passion for exploring the lives of famous people through their childhood memories. With a warm and friendly writing style, I hope to engage readers and spark their curiosity about the lives of the famous people they admire.
