Promova appoints Oleksandr Usyk as Chief Discipline Officer to help learners push through the January slump
London, January 19, 2026
As millions of people around the world abandon their New Year’s resolutions by mid-January, and just in time for “Blue Monday,” Promova, an AI-powered language learning platform for today’s minds, is trying something new to replace short-lived motivation with discipline.
Today, Promova announces their collaboration with Ready to Fight, a global sports, tech, and business ecosystem co-founded by Three-Time Undisputed World Boxing Champion Oleksandr Usyk, who joins Promova as their honorary Chief Discipline Officer. The partnership kicks off a suite of new learning experiences inside Promova’s app, with the goal to shift learners away from short-lived motivation and toward long-term consistency.
“People often wait for motivation to start – but motivation is unstable. Some days it’s there, some days it’s gone. Discipline is different. Discipline is a decision you make every day, even when you don’t feel like it,” says Oleksandr Usyk.
“In boxing, in training, and in life, progress comes from showing up consistently. Learning a language works the same way. You make mistakes, you feel uncomfortable, but you keep going. It’s about building habits, not chasing inspiration. Discipline doesn’t make things easier. It makes things possible.”
Discipline over motivation – inside the app
The collaboration comes to life through three core product experiences:
- Usyk Mode – a dedicated learning mode with a refreshed visual style and achievement-based gamification that reinforces consistency rather than perfection.
- Course: “Discipline by Usyk” – a structured program based on Usyk’s real training philosophy, adapted for language learning and long-term progress.
- AI Tutor with Usyk’s voice – a supportive, focused conversation partner that encourages learners to speak, make mistakes, and keep going.
“Stats say that only a mere 6% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions through the end of the year, and that’s not because they lack intention – they quit because motivation fades faster than habits form. This collaboration is designed for that exact moment, when enthusiasm drops, but the desire to change is still there. By focusing on discipline as a repeatable, sustainable habit, we're helping learners keep showing up, rather than relying on short bursts of motivation,” says Andrew Will Skrypnyk, CEO of Promova.
“The Ready to Fight team has been advancing the training of boxing champions for many years, using science and technology to improve the training process. Our partnership with Promova is a creative way to apply this experience not to building muscle or perfecting punches, but to learning a foreign language,” says Ready to Fight CEO Sergey Lapin, adding, “It’s also about showing that Ukrainian innovation can lead globally.”
Usyk Mode, alongside the app’s classic features, is available on both iOS and Android for Promova learners beginning on what’s often regarded as the most depressing day of the year – “Blue Monday,” or January 19th – when motivation may be especially low. To access the new features, download Promova or go to the website.
About Promova
Promova is an AI-powered language learning platform built for today’s minds. With over 24 million learners worldwide, Promova combines expert-created content, real-life scenarios, and AI-powered tools to help people build confidence and communicate freely in another language.
Founded in Ukraine in 2019, Promova is a participant in Ukraine’s Future Perfect national program, offering the app for free to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, and has been recognized by TIME and Fast Company as one of the world’s most innovative EdTech companies.
About Oleksandr Usyk
Oleksandr Usyk is a Three-Time Undisputed World Boxing Champion and Olympic gold medalist. Known for his discipline-first philosophy, Usyk is also a co-founder of Ready To Fight, a comprehensive sports-related tech and business ecosystem, and founder of the Usyk Foundation.
About Ready to Fight
Ready to Fight is a global sports-tech ecosystem founded by Oleksandr Usyk and his team to modernize professional boxing through technology, data, and storytelling. Launched initially as a platform to connect boxers, managers, and sparring partners, it has since grown into a full-scale digital infrastructure combining athlete profiles, training and fight preparation tools, advanced boxing analytics, media and marketing solutions, fintech products, and fan engagement. Used by elite teams including Usyk’s own camp, Ready to Fight features the world’s first comprehensive boxing analytics system built on over 50 performance indicators and more than 20 years of professional expertise, delivering a 78.3% forecast accuracy and supporting a more transparent, connected, and future-ready boxing industry worldwide.