Krassyuk Explains Why Usyk Was Detained in Poland

Alexander Krassyuk, promoter of two-time undisputed world champion Oleksandr Usyk and CBDO of Ready to Fight, shared details about the incident that occurred at Krakow Airport on the evening of September 17, when Usyk was detained.

"As a strange way to mark the anniversary of Usyk's victory over Głowacki in Poland, here's what happened.

Oleksandr, along with his friend (also named Oleksandr), was flying on RyanAir flight FR2777 from Krakow to Thessaloniki. Before the flight, they had driven over 11 hours from Kyiv to Krakow by car, and understandably, they were a bit tired.

Usyk had priority boarding, while his friend was in the general queue. While waiting for boarding, his friend fell asleep in the waiting area.

When boarding was announced, Usyk woke his friend and told him he'd wait for him at the gate. Usyk passed the passport and boarding pass check, but the trouble began when the airline staff somehow determined that the other Oleksandr was in a state of heavy intoxication and denied him access to the flight.

Usyk tried to clarify the reasons for the refusal with RyanAir staff, but they refused to explain and called the police. When officers arrived, the airline pointed out Usyk's friend and explained their decision. The police asked him to come with them to verify the situation and fill out paperwork.

Usyk firmly stated that he would not leave his friend behind, would not board the flight without him, and would not leave the boarding area until Ukrainian diplomats arrived. The police threatened to arrest him and put him in handcuffs. Usyk then extended his hands... and the police cuffed him. Only Usyk, as seen in the video taken by one of the passengers, while the other Oleksandr walked without handcuffs and carried his bag.

At the local police station, Usyk’s friend was asked to take an alcohol test, which contradicted the RyanAir staff's version. A 'heated discussion' followed between the police and airline staff, but it was too late...

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Consul General had arrived, and now explanations were needed for the Polish authorities. Whether it was a lunar eclipse that clouded the airline staff’s and police’s judgment or just a desire to get closer to a famous champion, it's hard to say.

What is certain is that the anniversary of Usyk’s victory over Głowacki in 2016 was marked in a very unusual way by the Poles.

Thank God, the incident is over. We now await official apologies and compensation from RyanAir and the Polish authorities," Krassyuk explained.