Yet some 48 hours earlier, 6,000 miles away in Las Vegas, another prominent Russian, the boxer Dmitry Bivol, had literally championed his nation’s dubious cause with his own victory parade.

This followed his seismic conquest of the Mexican superstar Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, long hailed as currently the world’s most formidable fighting man.

In doing so, 31-year-old undefeated Bivol not only successfully defended his own world light-heavyweight title but earned a remarkable publicity coup for his motherland.

Not that this was his intention. He insisted he was only doing his job. 

"He is not a politician. He is not into any of that. He is just focusing on his sport his family and his work," his American-based trainer Joel Diaz had insisted before an event which evaded the level of sanctions imposed on athletes from Russia and neighbouring Belarus by other sports.

"This kid has got the opportunity of a lifetime and he’s going to take advantage of it for himself regardless of whether there is a problem with his country."

A ban on Russian professional boxers taking the ring has been called for by, among others, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and his brother Vladimir, both former world heavyweight champions, and endorsed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and the head of "orld Athletics, Sebastian Coe.

"Every Russian representative needs to be sanctioned because this way we show Russia that the world is against this senseless war," said Wladimir Klitschko. 

"It is important that this boxer [Bivol] is forbidden from fighting in America, just as all Russian athletes are being banned from international competition."

However, the promotional bodies in Las Vegas did not appear to be listening.

Bivol was allowed to face challenger Álvarez, the undisputed world super-middleweight champion who had moved up a weight division. 

For while three of boxing‘s fragmented world governing bodies - the World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization - responded to the atrocities in Ukraine by blocking championship fights involving boxers from Russia and close ally Belarus, the fourth authority, the World Boxing Association (WBA), elected not to follow suit.

Instead it released a nine-point plan "in pursuit for peace" which ultimately gave Bivol, who holds the WBA belt, his million-dollar payday but permitted there was no use of Russian flags or the national anthem, while Bivol could not "peak out in favour of war".

Inevitably sport and politics will be uncomfortable bedfellows and obviously the Russian's victory is created a major controversy - although not as far as the actual result is concerned.

For while this has rocked the world of boxing - Álvarez was a heavy favourite - Bivol appeared to win by an landslide, even though all three ringside judges showed their benevolence towards Las Vegas' favourite fighting son by awarding it to the defending champion by a mere two rounds.

Canelo's only previous defeat in 60 bouts was nine years ago, against the redoubtable Floyd Mayweather Jr.

No doubt the merits - or otherwise - of this contest are open to debate, and boxing is certainly fighting its corner in Ukraine’s brave struggle against Vlad the Invader.

Not only are numerous boxing icons involved - Ukraine’s own world heavyweight champion, the brilliant Oleksandr Usyk, is due to defend his various titles against Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia this summer only after joining the military effort at home - but there are also shockwaves in Istanbul where the International Boxing Association's Women’s World Championships are in full flow. Boxers from Russia and Belarus are banned, but athletes from Ukraine are participating. 

As insidethegames colleague Michael Houston revealed, Emilia Grueva has quit as a member of the governing body's Board, saying she no longer believes in the way the organisation is being led, claiming "inappropriate acts of leadership".

The current President of the reforming IBA is Russian Umar Kremlev, who says that under his stewardship the organisation is following a roadmap for regaining IOC recognition.

Kremlev has proved divisive figure among certain elements of the sport, but his innovations have been, generally, welcomed. Even so, he is being challenged for the second time for the Presidency by the Dutchman Boris van de Vorst later this week. So another Russian has a big fight on his hands.

Seconds out!