Vasily Lomachenko won consecutive Olympic boxing gold medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games, but now he faces a much bigger and more important fight.
The former world champion in three weight classes, with an incredible amateur boxing record of 396 wins and 1 loss, has joined the Ukraine defense battalion, according to ESPN.
The boxer was in Greece when Russia’s invasion of his home nation began and had difficulty getting back home, but on Sunday posted a picture of himself on social media in military gear.
Lomachenko is scheduled to fight George Kambosos on June 5 in Melbourne, Australia. He has a professional record of 16-2 with 11 knockouts.
The mayor of Kyiv, former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko is also on the front lines, along with his brother and fellow heavyweight champion Wladimir, defending Ukraine.