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World heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk made a surprise appearance in a professional football match on Tuesday, featuring for Ukrainian side FC Polissya Zhytomyr in a 2-0 friendly win over Vancouver Whitecaps in Spain.
Heavyweight champion swaps ring for pitch
The exhibition fixture was played in Marbella as part of Vancouver Whitecaps’ pre-season preparations in Europe.
Usyk, 39, started the match on the bench before being introduced with 15 minutes remaining, replacing striker Mykola Hayduchik as Polissya protected a two-goal advantage.
Wearing the number 17 shirt, the undisputed heavyweight champion helped his side see out the closing stages without incident as Polissya secured a comfortable victory.
Muller absent as Whitecaps fall short
Vancouver Whitecaps fielded a strong side that included German World Cup winner Thomas Müller, now playing in Major League Soccer.
However, Müller was substituted before Usyk entered the match, meaning the two high-profile figures did not face each other on the pitch.
Before kick-off, Usyk and Müller were pictured together in the tunnel, images that were later shared by the Canadian club on social media.
Despite the star presence, the Whitecaps struggled to match Polissya’s pressure, conceding twice and failing to score.
Usyk’s football background
Usyk’s appearance was not purely ceremonial. Before committing to boxing, he trained as a footballer in his youth at the Tavriya Simferopol academy.
He has maintained close ties with Polissya Zhytomyr in recent years and previously signed a cooperation agreement with the club.
This was also not his first outing for Polissya. In 2022, Usyk made his debut for the club in a Winter Cup friendly, again coming off the bench.
Focus remains on boxing
While enjoying a brief spell in football, Usyk remains active as a boxer and currently holds the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles. His most recent fight came in July last year, when he stopped Daniel Dubois in the fifth round.
For now, the Ukrainian adds a football victory to his résumé, but attention is expected to soon return to the ring as he prepares for his next title defence.