Usyk and Ali’s physical attributes are also very comparable. At his peak, Ali stood at 6ft 3in tall, had a 78in reach and weighed around 220lbs. Usyk is the same height and has an identical reach. He has also resisted the temptation to bulk up too much since moving to heavyweight.

Andrii, who lives about 70 kilometers (44 miles) from the front line in eastern Ukraine, had served two years in combat and described his injuries — a concussion and taking shrapnel in his right leg from an exploding land mine — as “minor.” Like so many other Ukrainians, he’s lost friends and loved ones.

Tyson Fury found himself puzzled by Oleksandr Usyk's cryptic "don't be afraid" comment as the pair prepared for their eagerly awaited rematch in December. Usyk, who made boxing history by becoming the first fighter to defeat Fury professionally with a split-decision victory last May, beat him once again just before Christmas.