Oleksandr Usyk is going to face the hardest challenge of his life when he will have to vanquish Tyson Fury once again on December 21 in Riyadh. The duo faced each other earlier this year in May when Usyk emerged victorious to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era. Now, the Ukranian will have to do it all over again, against a more motivated and dangerous Fury.

It will be a mammoth task, but not something that the undefeated boxer has not done before. With his wife, Yekaterina Usyk ringside like always, the 37-year-old will do his best to return to his family while remaining undefeated.

How did Oleksandr Usyk and his wife meet?

The pair tied the knot in 2009. The two have kept their personal lives private. However, according to several reports, they shared a bond from long before. While the details of their first meeting are not available, Kate has always been alongside Oleksandr Usyk throughout his career.

In 2023, Alex Krassyuk, the unified heavyweight champion’s promoter, revealed that Yekaterina got quite animated during Usyk’s match against Daniel Dubois. Katerina was shouting “Beat the s*** out of him” after ‘Dynamite’ hit the Ukrainian with a low blow.

While Kate always provides support from the ringside, the idea of returning as a champion to his four kids is also a big motivating factor for Oleksandr Usyk.

All about Oleksandr Usyk and Yekaterina Usyk’s kids

The pair has four kids together; Kyrylo, Mykhalio, Yelizaveta, and their newborn daughter Maria. The Simferopol native is a family man and puts them above everything, especially after the tragic events they suffered during the Ukraine-Russia conflict. The Usyk family had to evacuate their home in Bucha as Russian forces took control of the area. While the 37-year-old lost many of his belongings, it was a relief that they escaped unhurt. However, the mental trauma of being in a war-ridden area was traumatic as Kate later revealed that Usyk “lost 10 kilograms in a week of the war. He was so horrified, in such shock, he was so torn apart.”

In June 2022, the undefeated boxer came on record to reveal what his family was going through. “My children are asking: ‘Daddy, why do they want to kill us?’ I don’t know how to answer that,” claimed Usyk in a distraught voice.

Even though the Ukrainian has put his family above all else, his career sometimes comes in between. His training camp in Spain kept the 37-year-old from his infant daughter Maria’s birth; as he was preparing for his first fight against Tyson Fury. He later admitted, “I sacrificed all the dates we used to spend with my family.”

Usyk has always stated that he dreads being away from his family and wants to spend time with them. However, Yekaterina, a loyal wife and mother, has maintained peace in both departments while keeping her professional ventures strongly going.

What does Yekaterina Usyk do?

Yekaterina Usyk is a model and boasts 100K followers on her Instagram alone. She also runs a charitable foundation that Oleksandr Usyk began, providing aid and essential support to Ukrainians living in war-torn regions. However, she has always kept her personal life private and likes to keep her life out of the public eye.

She also advocates for equal rights and representation for women in all spheres of life. Kate is a role model for young women and girls and a successful entrepreneur who has empowered many to reach their full potential.

It has been a partnership of 15 years between Oleksandr Usyk and Yekaterina, and the latter has been an integral part of the unified champion’s life. With the pride of Ukraine ready to take on another challenge, she will be ringside, supporting him like always.