Anthony Joshua says feelings obtained the higher of him and he let himself down together with his weird post-fight antics after dropping to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
After the competition, the Briton picked up two of Usyk’s belts, dropped them out of the ring and strode in direction of the dressing room, earlier than returning to the ring to offer an impassioned speech.
“I let myself down,” Joshua tweeted.
After returning to the ring, the 32-year-old confronted Usyk, saying, “you are not sturdy, how did you beat me? How? I had character and willpower’.
Joshua then picked up the microphone and produced a expletive-filled speech during which he mirrored on the battle and his shortcomings as a boxer.
He additionally talked about a number of matters, together with his troubles with police as an adolescent, the warfare in Ukraine, his profession and led the gang in saluting 35-year-old Usyk.
In his post-fight information convention, Joshua stated he had acted that way as a result of he was mad at himself. “Whenever you’re indignant you may do silly issues,” he added.
In his tweets on Sunday, he wished Usyk, who additionally beat him on factors final September in London, “continued success in your quest for greatness”.
“You’re a class act, champ,” he stated. “Yesterday I needed to mentally take myself right into a darkish place to compete for the championship belts! I had two fights, one with Usyk and one with my feelings and each obtained the higher of me.
“I will be the primary to confess, I let myself down. I acted out of pure ardour and emotion and when not managed it ain’t nice. I like this sport so a lot and I will be higher from this level on. Respect.”
Joshua, who took super-heavyweight Olympic gold at London 2012, received his first 22 skilled fights, however has now misplaced three of his previous 5 contests, all of them for world titles.
Joshua hopes to compete once more in December
In the meantime, Joshua says he has the “starvation” to battle once more and hopes to return to the ring in December.
Promoter Eddie Hearn needs him to have three or 4 fights subsequent 12 months with the final word aim of the Englishman changing into a three-time world heavyweight champion.
“I spoke to Eddie and requested him if it is attainable to get out in November as a result of momentum is necessary in boxing – Eddie stated December,” Joshua stated.
“If it is about who I battle, it is come one, come all. Whoever needs it may possibly get it, I do not thoughts.”
