David grew up in Mariupol in eastern Ukraine, one of the first cities to be captured by the Russians, and his father died in the early days of the war whilst fighting for Ukraine’s freedom. David and his mother had to flee in a panic and were just minutes from death. When David was forced to flee to Sweden, he had just become Ukrainian U15 boxing champion and had been selected for the European Championships. In one of the world’s top boxing nations, this essentially meant his future was secure and he would be able to pursue a career as a professional boxer, something that had been David’s dream since childhood. That dream was brutally shattered. In Sweden, boxing is a minor sport, mostly run on a voluntary basis by small clubs. David now boxes for the historic Örebro club BK Kelly and was recently named best boxer at the Swedish Championships. Normally, this would have led to participation in international competitions and championships at the Swedish Boxing Federation’s expense. Now, David cannot represent Sweden or Ukraine, and his dream is stuck in a grey area caused by Putin’s war. But David is fighting on and looking for ways to compete internationally so that he can one day take part in the World Championships and the Olympics. Join us in following and supporting David’s dream by contributing whatever you can. We will update and report on which competitions and training camps David can take part in with your support!