Anthony Joshua Speaks After Losing Heavyweight Titles to Oleksandr Usyk

Nigerian-British world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, has lost his belts to Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday. Joshua’s IBF, IBO, WBO, and WBA heavyweight titles now belong to Usyk after the Ukrainian beat him at Tottenham Hotspur Football stadium which seats 67,000 spectators.

Joshua lost the fight at Round 12 and judges ruled 117-112, 116-112, and 115-113 in favour of Usyk. Analysts said Joshua got a sound beating and a swollen right eye after Usyk pummeled him hard. The Ukrainian got the upper hand in the fight from the beginning to the final whistle.

Usyk said he could have finished off Joshua much earlier but his handlers asked him to entertain the audience more. He then dedicated his winning to the Lord Jesus Christ whom he said made his victory possible. He said the fight turned out the way he had expected.

“At the beginning I hit him hard and tried to knock him out, but my trainers said to stop and just do my job,” Usyk said after the fight. “The only thing I wanted to do with this fight was to praise my Lord, Jesus Christ, and say all comes from him.”

Usyk was not the first heavyweight boxer to dedicate his victory to Jesus Christ. Tyson Fury did the same recently after defeating Anthony Joshua.

In his reaction, Joshua simply said he is hopeful that the world remains his for the taking. He thanked all his supporters and urged them to keep the flag flying.

“Keep positive even if the world’s crumbling in front of you! London, I love you and thank you each and every time!” Joshua wrote on his verified Facebook page.

Joshua is still hopeful that he can win back his belts during a possible rematch with Usyk in February or March, but boxing promoter Frank Warren said this is unadvisable. He advised Joshua never to think of fighting again with Usyk, but he might consider another match with Fury.

“He shouldn’t go anywhere near Usyk – he will never beat him,” Warren stated. “In terms of fighting Tyson Fury, it can happen. Joshua losing has taken away the belts and he is damaged goods now. But people would still buy into that fight. It can happen and it can happen in the UK. But he shouldn’t have a rematch with Usyk. I wouldn’t even think about it if I was him.” Joshua reportedly earned a guaranteed $13 million from the fight and Usyk won a guaranteed $4 million.