Oleksandr Usyk has vowed to fight in his home country of Ukraine one more time before he retires.
Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) takes on Daniel Dubois for a second time July 19 at London's Wembley Stadium for the undisputed heavyweight championship.
While he has a long list of accolades -- including an Olympic gold and multiple world titles in two divisions -- there is one more thing Usyk wants to tick off before he retires: fighting on home soil.
"I'm not hoping ... I know it will be that way," Usyk told ESPN prior to his fight against Dubois, when asked if hopes he will fight in Ukraine again.
"Everything I start doing, and everything I have started, I'll finish to the end."
Despite becoming cruiserweight world champion in 2016 before going on to conquer the heavyweight division, Usyk hasn't fought in Ukraine since 2015.
Russia's full-scale invasion of the country in 2022 halted any plans the 38-year-old might have had to fight in front of his home fans.
"There's a lot of talk about it. I really want the war to end. Nobody wants it more for the war to end than us, Ukrainians," Usyk said.
"We understand what the meaning of war is, it has scattered us all over the world. Yes, I'm training here [Spain] now because I can't train in Kyiv. It's not safe there.
"Actually, I could [train there], but the sparring partners won't come. We're really waiting for the war to end, but it must end in a way that it doesn't start again in three to five years."
After the invasion, Usyk joined the territorial defense forces along with former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko.
His countrymen asked Usyk to return to the ring and lift the country's spirits.
He has not had the luxury of fighting at home afforded to other champions, but Usyk's record in the United Kingdom and against British fighters makes ominous reading for Dubois ahead of their rematch.
Usyk has beaten Tony Bellew and Derek Chisora in England and has two wins over Anthony Joshua in England and Saudi Arabi, respectively.
In his past three fights, he has beaten Dubois in Poland and Tyson Fury twice, both in Saudi Arabia.