Sky Sports: Boxing champion Usyk and DTEK unite in "Fight for Light" as CEO describes energy war

Ukrainian boxing legend Oleksandr Usyk continues his partnership with DTEK and our Fight for Light campaign, recently visiting a devastated energy plant in central Ukraine to witness firsthand the destruction and speak with workers.

The undisputed heavyweight champion, who wore DTEK's logo during his historic victories over Tyson Fury, has become a powerful symbol in Ukraine's struggle for energy independence.

DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko highlighted the significance of Usyk's involvement in an interview with Sky Sports, saying it "had a huge impact in Ukraine" and helped raise critical international awareness about the energy crisis.

"It's not a sponsorship contract, it's just collaboration. It's our joint fight for Ukraine so in Ukraine we keep lights on," Timchenko explained, emphasising that the partnership goes beyond commercial interests.

The boxing champion has fully embraced his role with DTEK, spending time with war veterans now employed by the company. These personal connections have resonated deeply, with Timchenko sharing, "People say he's our guy. He's one of us."

Timchenko drew a parallel between Usyk's boxing success and Ukraine's larger struggle: "It's very symbolic that there can, in some way, be a comparison with our fight in Ukraine. That somebody smaller, smarter with a big heart can defeat somebody larger."

The DTEK CEO described the severity of the situation facing Ukraine's energy sector: "The whole country and millions of people depend on how we operate, how we can protect ourselves, how we can restore power generation, how quickly we can react to these massive damages we get since 2022."

"They destroy civil infrastructure so that millions of people stay without electricity and light and heat/ With such challenges and such destruction, none of the companies can cope alone."

For DTEK and its 55,000 employees, each day presents new challenges. "Every day that we're going through is another fight," Timchenko said, particularly during the harsh Ukrainian winter. "So the country is not plunged into darkness. That's what we call victory."

Read the full interview on Sky Sports.