Anthony Joshua has mentioned he ‘let himself down’ along with his post-fight speech after dropping to Oleksandr Usyk once more on Saturday.
In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Joshua suffered a second determination defeat by the Ukrainian in 11 months – failing to recapture the heavyweight titles that Usyk took from the Briton in London final September.
After Usyk was declared a split-decision winner on Saturday evening, Joshua seized a microphone to reward his opponent but additionally bemoan comparisons between himself and the likes of Mike Tyson and Rocky Marciano. Before his speech, “AJ” stormed out of the ring then returned to dump two of Usyk’s title belts excessive rope.
Joshua, who was additionally emotional in a tearful post-fight press convention, tweeted on Sunday: “ I wish @usykaa continued success in your quest for greatness. You are a class act champ.
“Yesterday I had to mentally take myself into a dark place to compete for the championship belts! I had two fights, one with Usyk and one with my emotions and both got the better of me.
“I’ll be the first to admit, I let my self down. I acted out of pure passion and emotion and when not controlled it ain’t great.
“I love this sport so so much and I’ll be better from this point on. Respect.”
Joshua’s loss to Usyk on the weekend was his third defeat as an expert; his prior loss to the unbeaten southpaw adopted a stoppage defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019.
Joshua, 32, avenged that loss six months later by outpointing Ruiz Jr to regain the heavyweight titles that he had misplaced to the Mexican-American of their first conflict.
That rematch befell in Saudi Arabia, however Joshua couldn’t replicate its lead to his second in-ring assembly with Usyk.
Usyk, 35, known as out Tyson Fury after beating Joshua in Jeddah, and the WBC champion responded to recommend that he’s additionally eager on a combat.
Such a contest would crown an undisputed heavyweight champion, though Fury has claimed to be retired. However, the Briton has not but relinquished the WBC belt.
Source: www.impartial.co.uk
