--- title: "Not just Usyk: Ukrainian champion Khizhnyak sparred with Canelo ahead of WBC title fight" description: "Following his victory over Christian Mbilli and capturing the WBC title, details of Saul Alvarez's training have emerged: Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Khizhnyak served as a sparring partner for the Mexican at his camp in Gandia." date: 2026-11-01T14:30:01.062Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ukrainian-champion-khizhnyak-sparred-with-canelo tags: [boxing, canelo-alvarez, oleksandr-khizhniak, usyk, wbc] author: "Dmitriy Shatolov" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Not just Usyk: Ukrainian champion Khizhnyak sparred with Canelo ahead of WBC title fight ![Boxers in red and blue gloves during an intense match in the ring](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/01/ukrainian-champion-khizhniak-sparred-with-canelo-alvarez/ukrainian-champion-khizhniak-sparred-with-canelo-alvarez-1.webp) ## Key Points - Oleksandr Khizhnyak sparred with Saul Alvarez during preparations for the fight against Christian Mbilli. - The Mexican's training camp took place in Gandia, Spain, at Oleksandr Usyk's sports complex. - The sparring sessions were organized through the Ready To Fight platform. - Canelo defeated Mbilli by unanimous decision and won the WBC super middleweight world title. - Khizhnyak's latest bout took place on August 22 in Lviv at the Usyk-17 Promotions show, where he defeated Durval Elias Palacio and won the WBO Gold International belt. After Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez reclaimed his status as one of the main figures in world boxing, new details regarding the Mexican's preparation for his bout against Christian Mbilli have emerged. As revealed after the fight, not only Oleksandr Usyk but also another star representative of Ukrainian boxing—WBO Gold International titleholder Oleksandr Khizhnyak—contributed to the champion's triumph. It was Khizhnyak who sparred with the Mexican star during his training camp, marking an important step in preparing for the title bout. ### Sparing partner from Poltava According to data that became public after the match, Oleksandr Khizhnyak acted as Saul Alvarez's sparring partner during preparations for the fight against Christian Mbilli. For the 'Poltava Tank', this experience became another significant milestone in his professional career: the opportunity to work in the Mexican legend's camp confirms his status as one of the strongest boxers in his weight class and opens up additional prospects on the international stage. Sparring with a champion of this caliber is traditionally considered one of the most valuable elements of preparation for any professional. ### Camp in Gandia and Usyk's role The Mexican star's training camp took place in Gandia, Spain, at Oleksandr Usyk's sports complex facility. Thus, two prominent figures of Ukrainian boxing were involved in Canelo's preparation for the Mbilli bout: Usyk, whose infrastructure served as the camp's base, and Khizhnyak, who directly worked with the Mexican in the ring. This fact highlights the growing role of Ukrainian training centers and specialists in preparing elite world champions. ### Ready To Fight platform The organization of these sparring sessions was made possible thanks to the Ready To Fight platform, which brought together two prominent representatives of different boxing schools and generations. It was this structure that established contact between Alvarez's camp and the Ukrainian champion, ensuring a professional working format. Such platforms are becoming an increasingly demanded tool in modern boxing for finding sparring partners and organizing joint training camps. ### Fight outcome and Khizhnyak's latest bout As a reminder, Canelo defeated Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision and captured the WBC super middleweight world title, reclaiming one of the key championship belts. As for Khizhnyak himself, he fought his last bout on August 22 in Lviv as part of the Usyk-17 Promotions show, defeating Argentine Durval Elias Palacio and securing the WBO Gold International belt. Thus, sparring sessions with the Mexican served as a logical continuation of a successful stretch in the Ukrainian champion's career. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Не только Усик: звездный украинский чемпион также помогал Канело готовиться к бою](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/boxing/lishe-usik-zirkoviy-ukrayinskiy-chempion-1793543186.html) - Primary source: Khizhnyak's sparring with Alvarez, camp in Gandia at Usyk's facility, Ready To Fight platform, Canelo's unanimous decision win over Mbilli for the WBC title, Khizhnyak's fight on 22.08 in Lviv. - [Усик: Только мертвый не сказал, что Акела промахнулся](https://www.ua-football.com/sport/box/1779824189-usik-tolko-mertvyy-ne-skazal-chto-akela-promahnulsya.html) - Подтверждено по источнику ua-football.com - [Усик встретился с Дональдом Трампом в Белом доме](https://www.rbc.ru/sport/13/06/2026/6a2d089f9a794705aa8853db) - Подтверждено по источнику rbc.ru - [Усик потренировался в компании звездного боксера](https://korrespondent.net/sport/boks/4912519-usyk-potrenyrovalsia-v-kompanyy-zvezdnoho-boksera) - Confirms context: the Mexican star's training camp in Spain and the Ukrainian champion's participation in his preparation. ## FAQ ### Who sparred with Canelo Alvarez before the fight with Mbilli? According to information revealed after the match, Ukrainian champion and WBO Gold International titleholder Oleksandr Khizhnyak sparred with the Mexican. ### Where did Saul Alvarez's training camp take place? The camp took place in Gandia, Spain, at Oleksandr Usyk's sports complex. ### How did the fight between Canelo and Christian Mbilli end? Canelo won by unanimous decision and captured the WBC super middleweight world title. ### When and where did Khizhnyak fight his last match? On August 22 in Lviv at the Usyk-17 Promotions show, where he defeated Argentine Durval Elias Palacio and won the WBO Gold International belt.