Mykola Kovalchuk Organized Terence Crawford’s Meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy
On August 25 in Kyiv, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with legendary American boxer Terence Crawford. The meeting was organized by WBC Ukraine President Mykola Kovalchuk, WBC Ambassador Chico Lopez, and Advisor to the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine Vadym Danylchenko.
For Terence Crawford, this visit was not his first expression of support for Ukraine. The American champion has been a longtime friend of Mykola Kovalchuk and Chico Lopez and has repeatedly expressed his support for Ukrainians since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Back in April 2022, Crawford recorded a message through WBC Ukraine in support of Ukraine during one of the most difficult periods in its modern history. During the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally thanked Crawford and his friends for supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war.
Terence Crawford — One of the Greatest Boxers of His Generation
Terence Crawford retired from professional boxing undefeated, with 42 victories in 42 fights, including 31 by knockout.
The American became the first boxer in professional boxing history to become an undisputed world champion in three different weight divisions in the four-belt era, holding the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. During his career, Crawford won world championship titles across five weight divisions.
Crawford’s final professional fight came against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in September 2025. His victory over the Mexican superstar saw him become an undisputed world champion for the third time and conclude his professional career without a single defeat.
A Unique WBC Belt for the President of Ukraine
During the meeting, WBC Ukraine President Mykola Kovalchuk presented Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a unique personalized WBC World Champion belt — a gift from World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman.
The center plate of the traditional green-and-gold belt features the words World Champion, while one of its side plates bears a portrait of Volodymyr Zelenskyy alongside portraits of WBC President Emeritus Don José Sulaimán and undefeated world champion Floyd Mayweather.
The personalized belt was created especially for the President of Ukraine as a symbol of solidarity from the World Boxing Council and the international boxing community with Ukraine.
“Invasion of Ukraine” — A Painting Created After the Beginning of the Full-Scale War
Another special gift from WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman was the original painting Invasion of Ukraine by American artist Andres Valencia.
Valencia created the work in 2022, when he was only ten years old, after seeing news reports and images of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Through the painting, the young artist sought to draw the world’s attention to the tragedy experienced by the Ukrainian people, Russia’s crimes, and Ukraine’s resilience.
Andres Valencia’s work has gained international recognition, and his artistic style has often been compared to that of Pablo Picasso.
Freyja and the Story of Athos
One of the most personal moments of the meeting was connected to a story that began during the Russian occupation of Bucha.
Terence Crawford presented Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a three-month-old American Pit Bull Terrier puppy — a female named Freyja. She was named after Ukraine’s future FREYJA air defense system. Freyja is the granddaughter of Athos, a dog belonging to Mykola Kovalchuk’s family who survived the Russian occupation of Bucha. Along with Freyja, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was presented with a special album telling the story of her ancestors, as well as the puppy’s pedigree documenting Freyja’s lineage and family history.
During the occupation of Bucha in 2022, Athos and his sister Rakata remained near the Kovalchuk family home. When Russian troops attempted to enter the property, grenades were used against the dogs. Rakata was killed at the scene. Athos suffered severe injuries and a concussion but survived and remained near the house.
On the first day after Bucha was liberated, Athos was found by Ukrainian servicemen. They immediately rushed the severely wounded dog to a veterinary clinic. His condition was critical, but after extensive treatment, Athos survived.
Later, WBC Ambassador Chico Lopez personally traveled to Ukraine to take Athos to the United States. There, the dog continued his recovery and now lives in Houston.
Over the years, Athos’ story has also become well known within the international boxing community. He attended the WBC Convention in Acapulco, and among those who have met Athos are WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, Terence Crawford, boxing legend Roberto Durán, and MMA champion Cris Cyborg.
Support for Ukraine Beyond the Ring
Chico Lopez is an Ambassador of the World Boxing Council who has visited Ukraine on multiple occasions since the beginning of the full-scale invasion and has supported Ukrainian initiatives. He was also involved in organizing Terence Crawford’s meeting with the President of Ukraine and his visit to Kyiv. Athos’ rescue holds a special place in this story: it was Lopez who brought the severely wounded dog to the United States, where he was able to continue his recovery.
Vadym Danylchenko is an Advisor to the Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine who also contributed to organizing the meeting and the American champion’s visit to Ukraine.
