It was an emotional moment for Nigerian-born British fighter, Anthony Joshua, who lost his rematch to Ukrainian, Oleksandr Usyk in Jedda, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
After the judges’ decision was declared, Joshua grabbed two of the title belts and threw them over the side of the ropes before storming out of the ring in frustration.
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Moments later, he returned and grabbed the mic, telling the King Abdullah Sports City: “This guy beat me tonight, maybe I could have done better, but it shows the level of hard work I put in, so please give him a round of applause as our heavyweight champion of the world.
“If you knew my story you would understand the passion. I ain’t no amateur boxer from five-years-old, that was an elite prospect from youth.
“I was going to jail, I got bail and I started training myself; I wanted to be able to fight.
“I’m stealing this Usyk I’m sorry, but it’s because of the passion we put into this. This guy to beat me tonight, maybe I could have done better, but it shows the level of hard work I 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 heavyweights, Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, Jack Dempsey, ‘you don’t throw combinations like Rocky Marciano’, I’m 18 stone, I’m heavy, it’s hard work.”
The rematch in Saudi Arabia, follows their bout last year in London, where Usyk won the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts from the British boxer.
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