Oleksandr Gvozdyk fights for a greater cause. The former WBC light heavyweight titlist won a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics representing Ukraine. He feels he will have his home nation behind him when he faces former two-time super middleweight titlist David Benavidez this Saturday night in a 12-round light heavyweight bout to co-feature the Gervonta Davis-Frank Martin main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas, on Amazon Prime (8:00 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT).

Gvozdyk, 37, is The Ring’s No.7 rated lightweight heavyweight. He has been to Ukraine a few times since Russia attacked it in February 2022. “The Nail,” along with fellow Ukrainians undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and IBF lightweight titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko, is staunchly supporting the beleaguered Eastern European nation. Gvozdyk (20-1, 16 knockouts) derives motivation from his home nation’s plight and wants to give Ukrainians another boost as Usyk and Lomachenko have with their victories inside the ring.

“I have been there a lot of times (since war broke out), doing charitable stuff there and helping the Ukrainian military, fixing military trucks and providing ammunition,” said Gvozdyk, who possesses a law degree. “It is bad over there. You have to understand there are two different realities in Ukraine. In Western Ukraine, you still see super flashy cars and the night clubs are working and people are having fun. In the southern part, it is a shame, because cities are being bombed and destroyed. You cannot stay in the same place more than a few minutes. It is a shame that no one it seems is talking about what is going on in Ukraine anymore.

“Mentally, I think it is important for people to see the Ukrainian flag and know the Ukrainians are fighting against an aggressor and we will keep fighting until the end. Ukrainian success in the ring is motivation for Ukrainians. It does not give them direct power, but for my country in general, it gives us more hope.

“People need to know we still exist and will always exist.”

Gvozdyk took a three-year layoff after his lone loss, a 10-round stoppage defeat in a unification with IBF/WBC/WBO light heavyweight titlist Artur Beterbiev in October 2019. Gvozdyk ventured into a gambling company, knowing he could not continue his boxing career while associated with the gambling industry, so he retired. Gvozdyk’s comeback intentions were stymied by the succession of the COVID-19 pandemic followed by the Russian invasion.

In 2023, he came back and won three-straight fights.

He knows the reality. Hardly anyone, other than Ukraine, feels he can beat the 27-year-old Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs).

“I don’t care what people think, it is their opinion, but not mine, no problem,” Gvozdyk said. “I feel I can beat him because I believe in myself. I have been training hard and I know what I am capable of. I do not care what people think. I will figure it out. “

Gvozdyk is being trained by Marcos Contreras. He has been training for three months.

“I have been in training camp for a long time and I feel awesome for this fight,” Gvozdyk said. “It was cool away from boxing. I was trying something new. At the same time, when people quit boxing or exercising. This fight will be an exam on how hard I was working, and if I was working right. You will see (on Saturday night) the best version of myself.”

Joseph Santoliquito is a Hall of Fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JSantoliquito

READ THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE RING FOR FREE VIA THE NEW APP NOW. SUBSCRIBE NOW TO ACCESS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OF BACK ISSUES.