Anthony Joshua has opened up on his shock loss to Oleksandr Usyk last month that saw him relinquish his heavyweight titles, saying he is “done with f…..g losing” and will exact swift revenge in their rematch next year.
In a wide-ranging interview with iFL TV, the former heavyweight champion also discussed his trainer situation as he looks to win back his IBF, WBA and WBO belts from the Ukrainian at the first time of asking.
Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) was thoroughly outboxed by Usyk as the unbeaten Ukrainian (19-0, 13 KOs) earned a unanimous points victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London to end Joshua’s brief second reign.
Joshua had suffered his first career defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019 before winning back his titles in an immediate sequel in Saudi Arabia six months later.
The 32-year-old is confident that he will do the same against Usyk after getting his tactics wrong in their first encounter and hit back at critics who suggested he was too happy to lose.
“Because you don’t hear from me, I may not be effing and blinding on Insta stories and stuff like that, it doesn’t mean that I stomach losses,” Joshua said.
Anthony Joshua is talking up his chances of gaining revenge and winning back his titles in a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua is talking up his chances of gaining revenge and winning back his titles in a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
“I was on the next plane to the States, spoke to all my team. We’ve had some awkward conversations in the camp … It hurts bro. It hurts. Especially when you’ve got a winner’s mentality.
“I know from experience and track record, my mindset and my evaluation of losses and how I use them, it can catapult me to the next level.”
When asked why tried to outbox a technical fighter like Usyk rather than using his size and strength advantages to bully the much smaller man, Joshua initially sought to justify his baffling strategy, saying he was trying to conserve energy.
“When I looked at the other fight [Tyson Fury’s KO of Deontay Wilder in their trilogy fight] a couple of weeks later you saw that after two rounds, three rounds, the energy was depleted, Joshua told iFL TV.
“It’s not what I thought was the right way of boxing. So I started working on different elements of my boxing – trying to learn how to slip shots, roll shots a bit better, etcetera.
Oleksandr Usyk put on a boxing masterclass against Anthony Joshua in London to capture his WBA, WBO and IBF titles.
Oleksandr Usyk put on a boxing masterclass against Anthony Joshua in London to capture his WBA, WBO and IBF titles.
“But with that [Usyk] fight, it’s clear to see styles make fights. And I adopted the wrong style.”
However, Joshua appeared to blame his team for the puzzling tactics he employed on the night against the fleet-footed Usyk.
“You have to ask the team what there plan was,” he said of the decision to box at range rather than overpowering the Ukrainian up close. “In the second half of the fight, round nine, 10, the fight ran away from me when my eye blew up.”
Joshua said the loss was a “great lesson” and vowed to come back a “complete, better” fighter, hinting that he may fight dirty in their rematch.
Anthony Joshua visited David Tua’s former trainer Ronnie Shields at his Houston base and enjoyed their training sessions.
Anthony Joshua visited David Tua’s former trainer Ronnie Shields at his Houston base and enjoyed their training sessions.
“I’m done with f…..g losing. I’m done with trying to learn the sweet science. Whether the ref likes my style or not, he [Usyk] might get thrown on the floor in the next fight because this is war.
“I’m heading into my 12th world title fight now and the learning is done. It’s done. It’s just war. I’m annoyed. I’m boiling up just speaking about it.”
After his defeat, Joshua’s longtime trainer Rob McCracken came under fire with many pundits and former fighters calling on the Brit to dump him and get a fresh voice in his corner.
And Joshua appeared to have taken that advice on board, when he reached out to David Tua’s former trainer Ronnie Shields while in the US recently.
Joshua admitted he needed to get “out of his comfort zone” and speak to other top coaches in order to improve his all-round game. While he would not be parting ways with McCracken, he said he will be going to the US more regularly for camps and to work with other trainers, name-dropping Virgil Hunter, Eddy Reynoso and Shields, among others.
Dillian Whyte has no intention of rescheduling his fight with Otto Wallin and plans to face Tyson Fury for his world title next.
Dillian Whyte has no intention of rescheduling his fight with Otto Wallin and plans to face Tyson Fury for his world title next.
“I don’t need anyone that’s going to make me. I’m a f…..g winner bro. I just need to keep on learning.”
In other heavyweight news, Joshua’s British rival Dillian Whyte wants his next fight to be against Tyson Fury for the world title instead of rescheduling his cancelled bout with Otto Wallin.
Whyte last week pulled out of his scheduled fight with Wallin this Saturday (Sunday NZT), citing a shoulder injury.
Whyte holds the WBC interim title and is next in line to fight Fury, the WBC champion who retained his belt by beating Deontay Wilder this month to complete their trilogy.
Asked if he will fight Fury in early 2022, Whyte told the BBC: “That’ll be the plan.”
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Wallin and his promoter, Dmitriy Salita, are pushing for the fight against Whyte to be rescheduled, with the Swedish boxer wanting an independent doctor to look at whether the British heavyweight’s injury is genuine.
In a statement to AP, Salita called on the WBC to “make a fair decision relating to this fight and for boxing fans worldwide.”
“Otto Wallin v Whyte should be rescheduled,” he said. “Whyte should not be allowed to forego the fight with Otto and fight Fury next as a mandatory challenger.”
The WBC has already announced plans to order Fury to defend his belt against its interim titleholder.
Usyk holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts after beating Joshua on points last month. They are due to have a rematch early next year.