Ukrainian MMA star Olena Kolesnyk wants to add further inspiration to Ukrainians suffering during their ongoing war with Russia by bringing home PFL gold this season.
The hard-hitting featherweight boxer faces her nemesis Larissa Pacheco in a trilogy fight on Friday night in New York, having previously been stopped twice by the 2022 lightweight champion. Kolesnyk has looked a new fighter this year with stunning wins over Aspen Ladd and Yoko Higashi, and is confident that the winner of tomorrow's bout will be crowned champion this November.
Kolesnyk has been forced away from her family due to the ongoing dispute in Ukraine, but stays in daily contact to make sure that everyone is okay as violence continues in her home country. Just last week, five people were killed by Russian attacks, and more than 200 houses destroyed.
"My family are still in Ukraine and I'm sure you're watching the news," she told Mirror Fighting ahead of the finals. "You know what's going on in my country so nothing's changed - I'm honestly not very happy to talk about it right now but of course I speak with my family every day.
"I've thought about what I'd do with the million dollars, but I think more about what I'm going to do with this belt. I plan to fly back to Ukraine and visit soldiers in the hospitals. I want to inspire them to not give up. And I also want to inspire the whole world to say that if we do not give up anything is possible.
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"Ukrainians are a great people and we do not give up. Even in such a hard time we are still fighting for our country and to represent our country. I don't know what's in the future for me after this tournament, I want to visit Ukraine and see my people, I haven't seen them since the war started."
Do you think Olena Kolesnyk can win the third fight with Larisssa Pacheco? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Standing in her way is the formidable Brazilian Pacheco and then the winner of Marina Mokhnatkina vs Amber Leibrock. Pacheco has already knocked out Kolesnyk on two occasions. She is raring to go for the trilogy made possible by PFL's league format that allows fighters to quickly face each other again if they pick up the right wins.
"I think I've proven in my fights this year that I've changed stylistically and I've changed how I'm fighting," she explained. "The fight definitely will be different this time, just keep your eyes on the event and see the difference from the other two fights - I would take her on the street near my gym if it meant I got the opportunity to be in the final."
Olena Kolesnyk faces Larissa Pacheco on Friday night in the PFL featherweight semi-finals. Fans in the UK can watch live on DAZN from 11pm.
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