Unbeaten welterweight Taras Shelestyuk snapped a near three-and-a-half-year spell of inactivity when he returned to action with a routine second-round stoppage over journeyman Roddricus Livsey on July 5, on a BLK Prime event at Sam's Town Casino, Shreveport, Louisiana.

Shelestyuk, who claimed gold at the 2011 World Championships and bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, was glad to bring and end to a frustrating period of his life and career.

"I was definitely excited to be back in the ring," Shelestyuk (20-0-1, 12 knockouts) told The Ring. "I felt sharp, focused, and everything went exactly the way we planned.

"I controlled the fight from the start and finished it with a spectacular second-round knockout. It was a great way to mark my return to boxing."

The last time Shelestyuk fought was March 2022, two weeks after Russia invaded his homeland of Ukraine, which would have been on his mind going into his fight with Gabriel Maestre.

"It was an incredibly difficult time for me and my country," he said of the on going war. "Despite that, I didn't cancel the fight, even though my advisor and many friends suggested I should. I went through with it, gave my best, and I believe I won but somehow the judges called it a draw.

"After that, I shifted my focus to helping my country. I volunteered and helped deliver supplies to friends who were on the front lines. Around the same time, my promotional company went out of business, and I became a free agent. Since then, I've been working hard to get back in the ring. But it hasn't been easy — some opponents got injured right before the fight, and in other cases, managers or trainers didn't want to risk putting their fighters in against me."

Shelestyuk's career has been something of a slow burn since he turned professional after the Olympics in 2012. However, despite being 39, he feels he still feels at the peak of his powers.

"Age is just a number — I feel strong, sharp, and better than ever," he said. "I train smart, take great care of my body, and I'm constantly learning and evolving. I spar with younger fighters all the time, and my experience gives me the edge. I genuinely love this sport. I enjoy the grind, the discipline, the challenges.

"What drives me is the goal I've had since day one: To become a world champion in the professional ring. I was a world champion as an amateur, and now I'm chasing that same dream in the pros."

The Ukrainian lives in Los Angeles with his wife, where he says he enjoys near perfect weather all year round that makes training ideal and also helps keep him balanced and energized.

Which has doubtlessly aided him during a difficult time away from boxing. Now he is setting himself targets.

"I'm really excited for what's ahead," he said. "The plan now is to stay active, get back into the world rankings across all four major organizations, and earn my shot at a world title — and win it. The welterweight division is heating up again with big names like Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia, Jose Ramirez, Rolando Romero, and others moving up. I welcome all of them to the division, and I'm ready for those big fights.

"I truly believe the rest of 2025 and all of 2026 will be a huge chapter — not just for me, but for the welterweight division as a whole."

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk and you can follow him on X @AnsonWainwr1ght.