Oleksandr Usyk has defended the 100 million euros paid by Chelsea for Ukrainian international Mykhailo Mudryk.
Around £20 million of that was donated by the club to the Ukrainian state to help fight against the Russian invasion launched last year.
Usyk returned to his home country to form part of the defence by the armed forces, but both he and 22-year-old Mudryk have been given permission to leave the country to pursue their sporting commitments in contrast to other men who are required to remain within Ukraine’s borders.
Mudryk has not yet hit the heights that many had hoped for following his move to Stamford Bridge, and he has not yet scored in seven games for a Chelsea side that are struggling under Graham Potter.
Speaking to Parimatch, unified boxing champion Usyk believes the youngster will prove to be good value.
Asked if the fee shocked him, he said: “No, it doesn’t. Everything has risen. Prices, and money, are a little higher than they were. I think he’s worth a little more than €100 million because I’ve been watching this guy. I saw him for the first time playing for the U-18 or U-19 team.
"The hairstyle that catches your eye, the tattoos, I mean, he was playing, and I was watching him, and I liked him. It seems to me that this guy can bring the fourth Ballon d’Or to Ukraine.
“I don’t like to watch boxing at all. Unless it’s my boxing, I mean the opponents I need to watch, because I study my opponent. I watch some boxing on purpose, because I like it, yes. But I prefer watching football on TV or just live. I watch football more than boxing.”
Usyk remains in negotiations with WBC champion Tyson Fury as he attempts to land a shot at becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion.