Boxing champion Usyk leaves Ukraine for Joshua rematch preparation

Reigning world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has left Ukraine to begin his preparation for a rematch with Britain's Anthony Joshua, his manager said.

The 35-year-old holder of the WBA, IBF and WBO belts came back to Ukraine to defend his family as soon as Russia invaded his home country.

"He went abroad to prepare for the rematch," said his Kyiv-based manager, Yaroslav Lordkipanidze.

He said that Usyk left "several days ago", without providing further details of his current whereabouts.

Usyk defeated then champion Joshua last September by a unanimous decision in front of a home crowd in London.

Usyk became one of several top Ukrainian sports people who expressed their intention to resist Russian invasion of their country.

The boxer said he was "defending my home, my wife, my children, my close ones" in an interview with CNN from the basement of his home in the Kyiv area, days after Russia's President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.

Former world lightweight champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist Vasiliy Lomachenko has also returned home to help defend the town of Belgorod-Dnistrovsky near the city of Odessa.