Anthony Joshua, the former heavyweight boxing champion who was dethroned over 12 rounds by Oleksandr Usyk in Saturday night’s fight, wants an immediate rematch.
Joshua, who remained upbeat despite the surprise defeat, was frank about his take on the loss and ready to get his titles back.
His promoter, Eddie Hearn has confirmed the British boxer’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua was outboxed and dethroned by Usyk at the Tottenham Stadium on Saturday night.
AJ could not withstand Usyk’s speed, movement and accuracy and the Ukrainian is now the new heavyweight champion.
Although the Nigerian-born boxer recorded some moments of success throughout the fight, they weren’t enough to give him victory.
The bell saved AJ from being knocked out as Usyk ultimately outclassed Joshua and had him out on his feet in the final round.
The Ukrainian boxer recorded 117-112, 116-112, 115-113 against Joshua to emerge a two-division king of the world.
Hearn told Sky sport that AJ has vowed to win the rematch which will certainly be his next fight: “I spoke to him [Joshua].
“It was a tough fight, gruelling fight, he’s not quite talking the way you’d expect him to talk at the moment.
“Devastated. Already talking about training again. They want to look at the eye socket, he says it’s fine.
“That was always the danger of the fight – you overthink the fight, you try and be too technical, you don’t use your attributes and you don’t make your mark early enough in the fight.
“AJ’s desire is still there.
“The fighter in AJ is already talking about, ‘I’ll win the rematch, I’ll win the rematch.’
“It was a tough defeat. Usyk was the deserved winner and he’s got to make changes in the rematch.
“He will want to go straight back into that rematch, he will be the underdog in the rematch this time after that tonight, but that’s what he does.
“He chose tonight to take on a pound-for-pound great. It didn’t work out, but he should get credit for that.
“He was beaten by the better man and congratulations to Oleksandr Usyk.”
