Since
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Usyk and Lomachenko have traveled into Ukraine, taken up arms and joined the territorial defense battalion.
"I really don't know when I'm going to be stepping back in the ring," said Usyk, who looked exhausted and emotional in his interview with CNN. "My country and my honor are more important to me than a championship belt."
"Maybe, it'll sound sentimental," he explained, "but my soul belongs to the Lord and my body and my honor belong to my country, to my family. So there is no fear, absolutely no fear. There's just bafflement -- how could this be in the 21st century?"
Lomachenko had been visiting a monastery in Greece and returned home the next day. Instead of flying directly to his hometown of Odessa, he traveled to Bucharest in Romania, then drove for nine hours to the port and caught a ferry into Ukraine.
Their manager told CNN that he didn't know they were thinking of taking up arms until they had already signed up for the defense battalion. Former world boxing champions, Vitali -- who is also the Mayor of Kyiv -- and Wladimir Klitschko, have also
taken up arms in defense of their nation.