A Ukrainian forced to flee to the UK has launched a boxing academy to provide joy and self-confidence for young people in his new home city.
Oleksandr Pohodin, 35, had his own sports club in Ukraine, and was a former amateur boxer with nearly 150 bouts to his name.
However, the life-threatening upheaval of Russia’s invasion on February 24 2022 prompted him and his wife to seek a safer life for their family in the UK.
Mr Pohodin teaches a variety of backgrounds and age groups six days a week.
“If people spend time at this gym, they are not spending time in the street or on their cellphone and I understand when children spend time here, it helps them develop new skills and feel more self-confidence,” he told the PA news agency.
“For me, I feel very successful when I know a child is happy to be here.”
Mr Pohodin left Chernivtsi in south-western Ukraine in 2022 for Sheffield, via the Homes For Ukraine scheme, alongside his wife Zhanna, 40, and their children – Nika, 15, Polina, eight, and Matvii, six.
In May 2024, he founded Pohodin Boxing Academy, operating out of Syd’s Gym in Sheffield, together with Syd Khaan and Benny Banaris.
He also received guidance and support from Brendan Warburton, the founder of Sheffield City Boxing Club, who was awarded an MBE in 2022 for his community work.
Mr Pohodin told PA that he made contact with Mr Warburton online before arriving in England, describing him as “a very great coach and a very good person.”
He said: “Before I came, I started a conversation with him and said, I will be in Sheffield, and if he wants I will start volunteering in his gym and he agreed.”
“When I opened this academy, he helped me a lot, he explained to me how all this works – 100%, I think he’s my mentor.”
He added he feels particularly happy to live in Sheffield as he considers it to be the “centre of boxing” in the UK.
Mr Pohodin also received an employment adviser and English language training through World Jewish Relief, which has helped more than 13,000 Ukrainians rebuild their lives in the UK since 2022.
Quinn, 14, is one of Mr Pohodin’s students.
Despite trying other sports, he said he has connected with boxing the most, and cited Ukrainian boxer Vasiliy Lomachenko as one of his sporting heroes.
He said: “It’s been really good training with Oleksandr. I’ve tried other sports like football and basketball but when I’ve put the gloves on, they’ve never come off.”
Many Ukrainians have taken the boxing world by storm, including Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, and Oleksandr Usyk, who has held the unified world heavyweight championship since 2021.
Mr Pohodin said seeing Ukrainian boxers thrive makes him “very proud”.
“I remember when Usyk beat for the first time Tyson Fury, I am very proud he’s from Ukraine,” he said.
“I’m very happy Ukrainian boxing is successful.”
Katryna Stelmakh, 30, and Natali Pryima, 28, both came to the UK from Ukraine and attend sessions with Mr Pohodin.
Ms Stelmakh arrived in the UK in February 2022 from Kyiv, while Ms Pryima came to England in June 2022 from Poltava in central Ukraine.
Ms Stelmakh, who was a doctor in her home country, said adjusting to life here was difficult due to the language barrier and finding a job, but said British people she has met have all been “very welcoming”.
Initially joining boxing classes for her wellbeing, she said she was glad she then met fellow Ukrainians.
“I found our coach, Oleksandr, and then I came to the classes and met Natali here,” she told PA.
Ms Pryima added: “First of all, for me, it’s a full body workout, it’s a really intensive workout and it’s a stress reliever.”
“It’s not just about punching the bag, it’s therapy as well.”
