Anthony Joshua breaks down in tears after his loss to Oleksandr Usyk
Anthony Joshua broke down in tears during his post-fight press conference after his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
The British boxer was beaten via split decision as he faced his Ukrainian counterpart for the second time in Saudi Arabia, following defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year.
And after the bout, the 32-year-old couldn’t hold back the emotions when asked whether he still feels ‘proud’ of himself.
Joshua cried during his post-fight press conference as the Brit was overcome by emotion
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn consoled the British heavyweight during the press conference
Speaking after the fight, Joshua said: ‘It’s really, really hard for me to say I’m proud of myself. I don’t feel anything, I’m just… I’m upset. Deep, down in my heart.’
The heavyweight boxer then clearly struggles to utter anything else as he covers his face with his hands and is consoled by Eddie Hearn, who is sat just beside him.
‘I tried a different style. Previously in my career what got me through when I was beating people I have been beating… I was beating them off sheer hungry and passion,’ Joshua continued.
‘In the last fight I wanted to compete as a boxer but it wasn’t good enough and tonight wasn’t good enough.’
Joshua (L) suffered a split decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk – his second defeat in a row
Emotions were evidently running high after Joshua threw two of Usyk’s belts out of the ring and onto the floor after the fight and headed for his changing room before storming back to shake Usyk’s hand.
He then picked up the microphone and went on an expletive-filled rant, discussing the fight, his career and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
Joshua also went on to lead the sell-out crowd through ‘three cheers for Usyk’ and also highlighted his astonishment at Ukrainian fighters being able to produce title-winning performances as war continues in their home country.
The 32-year-old says that he is hurt ‘deep, down in my heart’ after the gruelling loss
It is now expected that Joshua will take a hiatus from boxing as he works out what to do next after suffering the most crushing defeat of his career.
It’s his third loss in five fights after Usyk’s victory over the Brit last year and Joshua’s surprise loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 – which he rectified with a win later that year.
For Oleksandr Usyk however, a unification bout with Englishman Tyson Fury now looms.
