In a surprising turn of events, heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk found himself detained at Krakow Airport in Poland this Tuesday. However, thanks to swift intervention from Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, the situation was resolved relatively quickly, as confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on social media.

Reports suggest that Usyk, who hails from Ukraine, was attempting to board a flight to Valencia, Spain, to kick off training for his highly-anticipated heavyweight championship rematch against Tyson Fury, scheduled for December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Despite his elite status as an athlete, Usyk and his trainer, Sergey Lapin, faced boarding denial when an airline official ruled they were unfit to travel.

The mix-up stemmed from the fact that Usyk and Lapin were extremely fatigued after a grueling 14-hour journey from Kyiv, involving a 557-mile drive. With the added complication of a language barrier, the situation escalated, resulting in Usyk being detained despite him insisting they were perfectly capable of flying.

Adding to the drama, Usyk's wife, Katheryna, was present and shared a video on social media showing her husband being escorted away in handcuffs, which she insisted was not related to any criminal activity. “It was just a misunderstanding,” Usyk later expressed on social media. He thanked those who expressed concern and praised Ukrainian diplomats for their prompt assistance, also showing appreciation for the Polish police, who he acknowledged for their professionalism in the situation.

President Zelensky, deeply concerned about the incident, reached out to Usyk shortly after his detention. In his post, he expressed disappointment at the treatment of the esteemed athlete, emphasizing that he had instructed Ukrainian officials to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Now, everything is fine, our champion has been released, and he is no longer being detained,” Zelensky confirmed, ensuring fans that Usyk was safe.

At 37, Usyk remains a formidable force in the boxing world, currently ranked as ESPN's No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer. His reputation was solidified earlier this year when he defeated Tyson Fury to become boxing's first undisputed heavyweight champion since 2002. With upcoming fights on the horizon, including a ringside presence at Anthony Joshua’s title match against Daniel Dubois at Wembley this Saturday, fans are eager to see what’s next for this incredible athlete.