Anthony Joshua was distraught last night, storming out of the ring in anger and throwing two belts out of the ring after he lost on points to Oleksandr Usyk in their world heavyweight title rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The British-Nigerian star was beaten for a second time by the Ukrainian and Joshua was visibly emotional after the split decision was announced.
He picked up two of the belts and slammed them to the ground. He then stormed out of the ring as his team attempted to restrain him before he was convinced to return to the ring.
He briefly spoke to Usyk before grabbing the microphone and launching into a rant filled with expletives, although he praised the Ukrainian, referring to to him as “one hell of a f***ing fighter”.
“Sorry guys,” Joshua said after taking the microphone. “Look, if you knew my story you’d understand the passion. I ain’t no f***ing amateur boxer from five-years-old, I wasn’t an elite prospect from youth, bro, I was going to jail.
“I seen some youths in Reading jail, I got bail and I started training my a*** off. Because if I got sentenced I wouldn’t be able to fight. I bust my case, my cousin, where’s he at? G14. I’m stealing this Usyk, I’m sorry but it’s because of the f**ing passion we’ve put into this s**, man.
“Guys I’m telling you, this guy to beat me tonight, maybe I could have done better but it shows the levels of hard work he must have put in. So please give him a round of applause as our heavyweight champion of the world.
“I’m not a 12 round fighter? Look at me, I’m a new breed of heavyweight, all them heavyweights; Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, Jack Dempsey – they say ‘he doesn’t throw combinations like Rocky Marciano,’ because I’m not f***ing 14-stone, that’s why, I’m 18-stone; I’m heavy.
“It’s hard work, this guy here is a phenomenal talent, we’re going to cheer for him three times. Well how many belts have you got now bro, five? As I said, I was studying Ukraine and all of the champions that have come from your amazing country, I’ve never been there but at the same time what’s happening there is not nice.
“I saw it with [Vasily] Lomachenko in your second fight with Orlando [Salido] there was unrest in Ukraine, there was civil war. Vitali Klitschko when he faced Danny Williams, civil unrest – under them circumstances, Usyk has managed to become champion. Champ champ! I just want to say: Bismillah.”
