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      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk 2 LIVE RESULT: Fury OUT of retirement after AJ loses to Ukrainian – latest reaction

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA lost in his heavyweight title rematch with Oleksandr Usyk last night in Saudi Arabia. AJ was defeated by split decision, largely giving a better performance than he did in the first fight, but the Ukrainian was much too skilled for the Watford man.
      After the fight, Joshua threw down the title belts after the result was read out, and sparked concussion fears with a rambling speech in the ring.
      And the night got even more emotional for Joshua, who broke down in tears at the post-fight news conference in Jeddah.
      Usyk, meanwhile, called out Tyson Fury, who in turn has responded by telling those in charge of making the fight to get their chequebooks out.
      Follow ALL the latest reaction with SunSport’s live blog right here…
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      Won and lost in the final three rounds
      It was the champion’s remarkable final three rounds which saw him clinch the win.
      After a breathtaking ninth round saw Joshua rock Usyk and land 28 punches to the Ukrainian’s nine, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion came out for the 10th and dismantled all hope of a British victory.
      Usyk landed 39 punches in the 10th round – the highest number any fighter has ever landed on Joshua over three minutes.
      And he then went on to land a further 23 in the 11th and 17 in the final round.
      That totals 79 punches landed in the final three rounds – a spell which ultimately took the fight away from Joshua – with AJ landing just 29 over the same period.
      Usyk lands title defence
      AJ suffered another defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
      The Brit, 32, was outboxed by the magical Ukrainian as Usyk claimed a split decision victory – 113-115, 115-113 and 116-112.

      Fury here to stay?
      Tyson Fury hinted he WILL return to the ring to fight Oleksandr Usyk… the day after his own retirement party.
      The Gypsy King watched with family and friends at another bash in Menorca as the Ukrainian defended his heavyweight titles against Anthony Joshua in a split decision thriller.
      Fury – who turned 34 last week – had the day before posted snaps from a party at his Morecambe home, complete with birthday balloons and “Happy Retirement” signs.
      However, it did not take for long for his latest comeback hint, as Fury added: “Get your f***ing chequebook out because the Gypsy King is here to stay, forever.”
      Get your f***ing chequebook out because the Gypsy King is here to stay, forever.Tyson Fury
      Fury unimpressed by Usyk and AJ
      Fury was far from impressed last night, claiming he could beat the BOTH in one night.
      Fury said on Instagram: “After watching that, the both of them were s***e. It was one of the worst heavyweight title fights I have ever seen.
      “It was bulls***. Come on!
      “I’d beat annihilate both of them on the same night. F***ing s***e.”
      Usyk calls out Fury
      Oleksandr Usyk wants to face Tyson Fury after retaining his heavyweight world titles against Anthony Joshua.
      The Ukrainian, 35, beat AJ once again via split decision in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
      Usyk called out Fury for a bout and hinted he would quit if he does not get to face the Brit.
      He said: “I’m sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet. I’m sure, I’m convinced he wants to fight me. I want to fight him and if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.”
      I want to fight him and if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.Oleksandr Usyk
      AJ concussion could be to blame for post-fight rant
      Fans and pundits feared Anthony Joshua suffered a concussion in his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
      The former unified heavyweight champion flew into a fit of rage after suffering a second successive points defeat to the slick southpaw in their Saudi rematch.
      He did, however, repeatedly praise Usyk for his display in their rematch in his x-rated post-fight interview.
      Joshua’s behaviour left many stunned, including training partner Frazer Clarke.
      The Olympian said: “Maybe he was concussed. I would have taken a dog to take that microphone off him.’
      “I apologise for the team, someone from the team should have saved him. Anthony’s a good person, it was out of character.
      “Someone should have jumped in and stopped him. It was only words at the wrong time.”
      Credit: Reuters
      Furious AJ
      This was the moment Anthony Joshua lost his rag after his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.
      Anthony Joshua lost his temper after losing his rematch to Oleksandr Usyk and reacted angrily by throwing two belts out of the ring. 🚨pic.twitter.com/VjS8z3UrGl— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 20, 2022

      ‘A crack in the armour’, says AJ
      AJ added: “it comes at a cost, a big cost. It’ll never break me, but it takes real strength for it not to break me. And tonight, there’s a little crack in the armour when I took a loss.
      “And I think you just saw me just upset. And with the speech, I was just speaking about where I come from. I was on the roads, really.
      “And I made a transition to boxing that really changed my life and brought me closer to God and brought me closer to meeting so many people.
      “And I just kind of laid it all on the line with my speech. But let’s not forget the champ Oleksandr Usyk. He put on a phenomenal performance as well. So credit to him.
      “I can’t remember what I said in the ring because it was just so passionate. But I just want to say thank you to him for taking part in a great historical fight as well. It takes two to tango. I was just so upset.”
      More on AJ post-fight press conference
      Joshua said: “When you’re trying to do things from the heart and everyone is just not understanding. It was just from the heart. I was mad at myself. Not anyone else just myself.
      “So I thought, I’ve got to get out of here because I’m mad. Like anyone, when you’re angry, you might do stupid things.
      “I was mad and then I realised, ‘Oh s***, this is sport. Let me do the right thing and come back.’
      “I just spoke from my heart. It’s been so tough. You see AJ holding it together, yeah, and I’m a hustler so I try put things together. Try work hard and put things together and make sure my team’s good.
      AJ emotional in post-fight press conference
      Anthony Joshua broke down in tears in his post-match press conference as he discussed his meltdown following his loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
      Joshua suffered a second successive defeat to Usyk via split decision at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Saudi Arabia last night.
      After the result was announced, AJ threw the Ukrainian star’s belts out of the ring before appearing to storm off.
      The Brit then decided to return to the squared circle to hijack the mic and deliver a bizarre speech to the crowd.
      The 32-year-old got emotional in his press conference as he explained this was “from the heart” and came as a result of him being “mad” at himself.

      Punch stats – a look at the details
      In terms of individual rounds, Usyk outlanded Joshua in nine of the 12.
      AJ managed to land more punches in the first two rounds – but his only victory after that came in the ninth when his onslaught fell short of securing a stoppage win.
      Usyk ended with a total punches landed of 170 compared with Joshua’s 124.
      But Joshua actually did have a marginally higher percentage of punches landed – 25 per cent to Usyk’s 24.

      However, it was ultimately futile as Usyk had his hand raised despite the judges scorecards being closer than many expected.
      And the beating Usyk inflicted on Joshua in the final nine minutes will go down in history as one of the great heavyweight performances in the key, championship rounds.
      Won and lost in the final three rounds
      It was the champion’s remarkable final three rounds which saw him clinch the win.
      After a breathtaking ninth round saw Joshua rock Usyk and land 28 punches to the Ukrainian’s nine, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion came out for the 10th and dismantled all hope of a British victory.
      Usyk landed 39 punches in the 10th round – the highest number any fighter has ever landed on Joshua over three minutes.
      And he then went on to land a further 23 in the 11th and 17 in the final round.
      That totals 79 punches landed in the final three rounds – a spell which ultimately took the fight away from Joshua – with AJ landing just 29 over the same period.
      Usyk lands first defence of titles
      AJ suffered another defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
      The Brit, 32, was outboxed by the magical Ukrainian as Usyk claimed a split decision victory – 113-115, 115-113 and 116-112.

      Tears of joy
      Oleksandr Usyk was overcome with emotion after registering his first defence of his heavyweight titles.

      Hearn pays tribute to AJ
      Eddie Hearn has paid tribute to Anthony Joshua following his loss to Oleksandr Usyk.

      Furious AJ
      This was the moment Anthony Joshua lost his rag after his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.
      He said of his actions in the post-fight interview: “When you’re trying to do things from the heart and everyone is just not understanding.
      “It was just from the heart. I was mad at myself. Not anyone else just myself.
      “So I thought, I’ve got to get out of here because I’m mad. Like anyone, when you’re angry, you might do stupid things.
      “I was mad and then I realised, ‘Oh shit, this is sport. Let me do the right thing and come back.’
      Anthony Joshua lost his temper after losing his rematch to Oleksandr Usyk and reacted angrily by throwing two belts out of the ring. 🚨pic.twitter.com/VjS8z3UrGl— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 20, 2022

      Teary-eyed
      Anthony Joshua was brough to tears in the post-fight press conference after being asked a touching question.
      My question brought Anthony Joshua to tears at the press conference. This man has done so much for the sport and community- I wish he would get more respect and love. He apologised for his reaction in the ring. But some so called fans will never give him the respect he deserves pic.twitter.com/gO2p4TijGi— Antoine Allen (@AntoineSpeaker) August 21, 2022

      Tyson Fury speaks
      Retired WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has had his say on Oleksandr Usyk’s victory over Anthony Joshua.

      AJ fumes
      Anthony Joshua raged after being told to “keep it professional” as he made his way back to his locker room.
      He said: “Who the f**k are you talking to?”

      Usyk addresses AJ’s rant
      Uysk has had his say on Anthony Joshua’s stunning post-fight rant.
      He said: “I didn’t feel much at this time when he was a bit frustrated. Just common emotions. It’s all good. We just need to communicate a little bit.
      “The good things that he said about me is something that I accept. But I don’t accept it deep to my heart because I want to stay a humble person.
      “I don’t want my pride inside me to go bigger. That’s something like that. I don’t believe in good words.”
      He added: “I have nothing but respect for Anthony Joshua. I saw him a little bit emotional and I saw him pulling some of my team-mates and that looked like a bare-knuckle fight.
      “And I do recommend him to do that because most of them are horrible street fighters.
      “I have 20 bouts and 20 wins at the moment. Some of my guys have 20 fights and 25 wins by the way of knockout.”

      Scorecards revealed
      The judge’s scorecards for Joshua’s second successive defeat to Usyk have been revealed

      Anthony Joshua addresses his post-fight rant
      AJ admits his astonishing post-fight rant was the result of all the pressure on his shoulders.
      He said: “When you’re trying to do things from the heart and everyone is just not understanding. It was just from the heart. I was mad at myself. Not anyone else just myself.
      “So I thought, I’ve got to get out of here because I’m mad. Like anyone, when you’re angry, you might do stupid things.
      “I was mad and then I realised, ‘Oh shit, this is sport. Let me do the right thing and come back.’
      I just spoke from my heart. It’s been so tough. You see AJ holding it together, yeah, and I’m a hustler so I try put things together. Try work hard and put things together and make sure my team’s good.
      “But it comes at a cost, a big cost. It’ll never break me, but it takes real strength for it not to break me. And tonight, there’s a little crack in the armour when I took a loss.
      “And I think you just saw me just upset. And with the speech, I was just speaking about where I come from. I was on the roads, really. And I made a transition to boxing that really changed my life and brought me closer to God and brought me closer to meeting so many people.
      “And I just kind of laid it all on the line with my speech. But let’s not forget the champ Oleksandr Usyk. He put on a phenomenal performance as well. So credit to him.
      “I can’t remember what I said in the ring because it was just so passionate, but I just want to say thank you to him for taking part in a great historical fight as well. It takes two to tango. I was just so upset.”

      Usyk speaks
      “I saw in round eight that he was feeling victorious already.
      “And I kept telling myself, ‘Keep calm, do not stop. You cannot stop. Do not stop.’
      “Some big things were at stake. Thank God the belts are coming back to Ukraine and the victory is with us and Ukraine won.”

      Concussion fear
      Training partner Frazer Clarke reckons Anthony Joshua’s bizarre post-fight rant could’ve been the result of a concussion.
      He said: “Maybe he was concussed. I would have taken a dog to take that microphone off him.’
      “I apologise for the team, someone from the team should have saved him.
      “Anthony’s a good person, it was out of character. Someone should have jumped in and stopped him. It was only words at the wrong time”
      Lennox Lewis weighs in
      Lennox Lewis has urged Anthony Joshua to come again – with plenty of big fights still out there.
      He tweeted: “Great fight by Usyk. Congrats on the win. Definitely earned it. Good showing by AJ too..don’t fret.
      “There are still big fights out there we want to see.”
      Credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
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      ‘Ukrainians never give up’ – Volodymyr Zelensky hails Oleksandr Usyk’s ‘important and necessary’ win over Anthony Joshua

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      VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY has hailed Oleksandr Usyk’s brilliant victory over Anthony Joshua.The Ukrainian president, 44, gushed with pride over his compatriot’s amazing triumph against a game AJ.
      Volodymyr Zelensky was full of praise for UsykCredit: Alamy
      Oleksandr Usyk defeated Anthony Joshua for a second timeCredit: EPA
      Usyk, 35, beat Joshua via split decision, surviving a ninth-round onslaught to wrestle back control of the bout.
      Hoping to inspire the people of war-torn Ukraine, Zelensky tweeted: “Difficult, but so important and necessary VICTORY @usykaa!
      “Defending the title of the world champion is a symbol of the fact that all Cossacks will not give up theirs, will fight for it and will definitely win!”
      Usyk dedicated his victory to his compatriots, saying after the fight: “I did this victory for my country, for all people, militaries who are defending the country. Thank you very, very much.
      READ MORE BOXING STORIES
      “This is already historic. Many generations are going to watch this fight, especially the round when someone tried to beat me hard, but I withstood it and turned it in a different way.”
      On what’s next, Usyk added: “I’m sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet.
      “I’m sure, I’m convinced he wants to fight me.
      “I want to fight him and if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.”
      Most read in Boxing
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      After the bout, Joshua threw Usyk’s belts out of the ring, storming off before bizarrely returning and grabbing the mic.
      Upon his return, AJ bellowed: “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 my a*** off, 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.”
      Usyk, 35, dedicated his victory to his fellow countrymen and womenCredit: EPA More

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      Tyson Fury claims he would beat ‘s***e’ Usyk and Joshua in SAME NIGHT in X-rated rant as Gyspy King teases ring comeback

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      TYSON FURY hinted he WILL return to the ring to fight Oleksandr Usyk… the day after his own retirement party.The Gypsy King watched with family and friends at another bash in Menorca as the Ukrainian defended his heavyweight titles against Anthony Joshua in a split decision thriller.
      Tyson Fury hinted at a ring return again after watching Usyk vs Joshua 2Credit: Instagram: Tyson Fury
      Fury claimed he could be both Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk in one nightCredit: Instagram: Tyson Fury
      And he was far from impressed, claiming he could beat the BOTH in one night.
      Fury said in a series of Instagram story videos: “After watching that, the both of them were s***e. It was one of the worst heavyweight title fights I have ever seen.
      “It was bulls***. Come on!
      “I’d beat annihilate both of them on the same night. F***ing s***e.”
      Read More Boxing news
      Fury – who turned 34 last week – had the day before posted snaps from a party at his Morecambe home, complete with birthday balloons and “Happy Retirement” signs.
      However, it did not take for long for his latest comeback hint, as Fury added: “Get your f***ing chequebook out because the Gypsy King is here to stay, forever.”
      Usyk is keen to fight Fury and even stated he would not box again if he cannot face the Gypsy King.
      The 35-year-old also dedicated his win to Ukraine and his fellow countrymen after defending his heavyweight world titles.
      Most read in Boxing
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      Fury claimed the fight was one of the worst in heavyweight historyCredit: PA
      Usyk said after the fight: “I did this victory for my country, for all people, militaries who are defending the country. Thank you very, very much.
      “This is already historic. Many generations are going to watch this fight, especially the round when someone tried to beat me hard, but I withstood it and turned it in a different way.
      “I’m sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet. I’m sure, I’m convinced he wants to fight me. I want to fight him and if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.” More

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      Ebanie Bridges jokes about having children with retired Kell Brook as Aussie boxer dazzles at Usyk vs Joshua event

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      EBANIE BRIDGES joked “imagine the kids” as she posted a picture of herself with retired boxing star Kell Brook.The duo headed to Boxpark Croydon together to watch Anthony Joshua’s rematch against Oleksandr Usyk alongside hordes of fans.
      Ebanie Bridges poses with Kell BrookCredit: Instagram
      Bridges joked about having kids with BrookCredit: Instagram
      Bridges and Brook appeared a dapper pair, and the Aussie bantamweight couldn’t help but notice.
      She posted a picture of the two of them posing together, cheekily captioning it: “Imagine the kids 👀 #JustSaying”
      Responding to the tweet, one fan wrote: “World champs guaranteed lol”
      A second commented: “Well there’s a fair chance they’d be pretty athletic!”
      READ MORE BOXING STORIES
      Bridges, 35, boasts an 8-1 professional record, most recently defeating Maria Cecilia Roman back in March.
      She has celebrated her latest win by enjoying the British summer heatwave.
      Bridges lounged by the pool as she conquered her water phobia.
      Sydney-born Ebanie posted a video on Instagram of her floating and wearing a blue bikini.
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      And she shared the caption: “Not a bad day to get over the water phobia I gained from drowning nearly every day on SAS Australia and get in the pool with the floaties.
      “It’s been nearly a year since I’ve been in water willingly lol.
      “Apparently it’s a heatwave here in the UK.”
      She also met up with OnlyFans star Elle Brooke, teasing fans: “Don’t let your imagination run too wild boys.”
      Kell Brook, meanwhile, brought the curtain down on an amazing career by defeating old foe Amir Khan in February.
      The happily married father-of-three hung up his gloves aged 36 in May, telling The Telegraph: “I’ve had a long chat with my family and my parents, and it’s over for me. I’ll never box again.
      Read More on The Sun
      “It’s a little emotional to be actually saying this out loud.
      “My man is relieved. I think everyone around me is pleased.”
      Bridges was last in action back in MarchCredit: PA
      Kell Brook hung up his gloves after beating Amir KhanCredit: The Times More

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      ‘It’s Fury or nothing’ – Oleksandr Usyk calls out Tyson Fury for unification blockbuster after beating Anthony Joshua

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      OLEKSANDR USYK wants to face Tyson Fury after retaining his heavyweight world titles against Anthony Joshua.The Ukrainian, 35, beat AJ once again via split decision in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
      Oleksandr Usyk dedicated his victory to UkraineCredit: Reuters
      Usyk is determined to fight Tyson Fury nextCredit: AFP
      After the fight Usyk dedicated the victory to his country before turning his attention to the Gypsy King.
      Usyk called out Fury for a bout and hinted he would quit if he does not get to face the Brit.
      Usyk said: “I did this victory for my country, for all people, militaries who are defending the country. Thank you very, very much.
      “This is already historic. Many generations are going to watch this fight, especially the round when someone tried to beat me hard, but I withstood it and turned it in a different way.
      READ MORE IN BOXING
      “I’m sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet. I’m sure, I’m convinced he wants to fight me. I want to fight him and if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.”
      An Usyk vs Fury showdown would give both fighters the opportunity to unify the heavyweight division with the latter occupying the WBC belt.
      Both men are undefeated in the ring but Fury is officially retired after defeating Dillian Whyte in April.
      But he has made murmurs about a possible comeback – with many previously wanting to see him face Joshua.
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      Earlier this month Fury was even involved in talks for a comeback fight with Derek Chisora, revealing he wanted to be the first heavyweight to have three trilogies.
      But talks collapsed with Fury claiming his compatriot turned down a £2million offer to enter the ring.
      And he may not be willing to fight Usyk either after criticising his performance against Joshua.
      After the fight Fury said: “After watching that, the both of them were s***e. It was one of the worst heavyweight title fights I have ever seen.
      “It was bulls***. Come on!
      Read More on The Sun
      “I’d beat annihilate both of them on the same night. F***ing s***e.
      “Get your f***ing chequebook out because the Gypsy King is here to stay, forever.” More

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      Anthony Joshua concussion fears after defeated Brit grabs mic for rambling speech in ring after Oleksandr Usyk loss

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      BOXING fans and pundits feared Anthony Joshua suffered a concussion in his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.The former unified heavyweight champion flew into a fit of rage after suffering a second successive points defeat to the slick southpaw in their Saudi rematch.
      Anthony Joshua went into an x-rated rant after his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk on Sunday morningCredit: Getty
      Joshua was fired up in his post-fight chat with UsykCredit: PA
      Usyk put on a second successive boxing masterclass against AJCredit: Getty
      He did, however, repeatedly praise Usyk for his display in their rematch in his bizarre and x-rated post-fight interview.
      Joshua’s behaviour left many stunned, including training partner Frazer Clarke.
      The Olympian said: “Maybe he was concussed. I would have taken a dog to take that microphone off him.’
      “I apologise for the team, someone from the team should have saved him. Anthony’s a good person, it was out of character.
      READ MORE IN SPORT
      “Someone should have jumped in and stopped him. It was only words at the wrong time.”
      Boxing fans were similarly stunned, with one saying: “Is Anthony Joshua concussed?”

      Another said: “As bad as it was, got to cut Anthony Joshua some slack…he was concussed, exhausted and emotional.”
      And another said: “Anthony Joshua surely concussed there? None of that made any sense, just spouting s***e that makes no sense, what a strange speech.”
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      Clarke, and many others, believe one of Joshua’s team should’ve saved him from himself by wrestling the mic from him.
      He said: “As a gym friend and a friend in general, for anyone offended in general by what happened.
      “I think I can apologise on his behalf for the outburst. 
      “His team might be mad at me for saying this, but I feel he was hung out to dry there.
      “Somebody should have saved him from himself.
      Read More on The Sun
      “It’s words, but in the true reflection of boxing, that was Usyk’s time to celebrate that victory and he didn’t get to do it straight away and I don’t think that was right.
      “Anthony is a great person and has done a lot for a lot of people, a lot for me, but I feel like he had a bit of a bad one there and it was out of character.”
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      Watch emotional Anthony Joshua throw belts out of ring after losing to Oleksandr Usyk then deliver rambling speech

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA threw Oleksandr Usyk’s heavyweight belts out of the ring before hijacking the microphone to deliver a bizarre speech after his loss to the Ukrainian.The British boxing icon was defeated a second time by Usyk, this time via split decision.
      Anthony Joshua addresses the crowdCredit: Getty
      The Brit delivered an unusual speech after the fightCredit: Reuters
      AJ threw Usyk’s belts out of the ring
      After the result was announced, Joshua threw Usyk’s belts out of the ring before appearing to storm off.
      He then decided to return to the squared circle to shake hands with his opponent.
      But as they talked in the ring, AJ said: “I don’t care about strong, I have to have skill.
      “Being strong doesn’t win boxing. Skills win boxing.
      READ MORE BOXING STORIES
      “You’re not strong. How did you beat me? How? Because of skill.
      “I had character and determination. Where’s the mic?”
      Then the Brit grabbed hold of it to deliver an impassioned speech to the crowd.
      Joshua, 32, said: “If you knew my story you would understand the passion.
      Most read in Boxing
      “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 my a*** off, 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.”
      He then added: “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.
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      “This guy here is a phenomenal talent, we’re going to cheer for him three times.”
      He then got the crowd to awkwardly cheer Usyk, who watched on baffled.
      British boxer Frazer Clarke feels that Joshua’s team should have prevented him from taking the mic.
      Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “As a gym friend and a friend in general, for anyone offended in general by what happened, I think I can apologise on his behalf for the outburst.
      Somebody should have saved him from himselfFrazer Clarke
      “His team might be mad at me for saying this, but I feel he was hung out to dry there. Somebody should have saved him from himself.
      “It’s words, but in the true reflection of boxing, that was Usyk’s time to celebrate that victory and he didn’t get to do it straight away and I don’t think that was right.
      “Anthony is a great person and has done a lot for a lot of people, a lot for me, but I feel like he had a bit of a bad one there and it was out of character.”
      AJ broke down in tears during his press conference and was comforted by promotor Eddie Hearn.
      He said: “Am I proud of myself? It’s really really hard for me to say I’m proud of myself.
      “I don’t feel anything, I’m upset deep down in my heart.”
      Usyk, 35, is determined to fight Tyson Fury next.
      When he did finally get his hands on the mic, he said: “I’m sure that Tyson Fury is not retired yet.
      Read More on The Sun
      “I’m sure, I’m convinced he wants to fight me.
      “I want to fight him and if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.”
      Usyk and AJ converse after the fightCredit: Getty More

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      Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua round by round: How Ukrainian retained heavyweight crown in thrilling split decision

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      OLEKSANDR USYK successfully defended his world heavyweight titles with a split decision victory over Anthony Joshua.The Ukrainian, 35, produced another majestic boxing display to clinch a second win in 11 months over the Brit.
      Usyk clearly beat Joshua to retain his world heavyweight crownCredit: PA
      Joshua gave respect to Usyk after the decision was announcedCredit: Reuters
      It was an emotional victory for Usyk who dedicated it to the people of UkraineCredit: PA
      The three judges scored the fight 115-113 Joshua, 115-113 Usyk and 116-112 Usyk.
      But most felt the Ukrainian did more than enough to secure the victory and retain his heavyweight belts.
      Here is how SunSport’s Dylan Terry saw it unfold round by round.
      Round 1
      Usyk comes out bouncing around, bobbing and weaving as a measured Joshua steps out for the opening exchanges.
      It’s the Ukrainian who circles the challenger with his sensational footwork, but both men are simply feeling each other out at this point.
      Lovely jab pierces the guard of Usyk, before Joshua fires back with some nice bodywork.
      AJ roughhouses Usyk in the clinch inside the final 30 seconds – a sign of that manhandling which many people wanted to seem from him.
      Positive start from the champion. 10-9 Usyk.
      Round 2
      AJ clearly trying to work the body in the early stages. Not much between them so far as Usyk’s jab looks on point.
      Nice left hook from Joshua digs into the ribs of Usyk and the challenger follows it up with a neat one-two.
      Lovely jab from Usyk gets Joshua’s attention once more – the Ukrainian responding when he needs to.
      Really good bodywork from Joshua again as the round comes to a close. That is definitely the tactic from the Brit’s corner.
      Very tough round to score and probably an even one at that. 20-19 Usyk.
      Round 3
      Usyk’s movement truly is something to behold. His head is never ever still and as a result Joshua cannot find any accuracy upstairs.
      Her tries to work the body again before moving in for a clinch but Usyk is aware and wriggles out before planting a left hand straight down the pipe of the challenger.
      A cagey round which the Ukrainian takes. 30-28 Usyk.
      Round 4
      Joshua is falling short with a lot of his punches. Usyk has measured the distance to perfection so far.
      A sharp straight right clips the top of AJ’s head but the Brit is unmoved.
      Joshua definitely appears to be playing a patient game, not rushing any of his work. But he is being picked off by the quicker, smarter champion.
      AJ tries to land a huge uppercut inside the final 30 seconds but misses by some distance.
      Usyk finishes with a lovely left which puts Joshua back on his haunches.
      Another three minutes in the bag for the world champion. 40-37 Usyk.
      Round 5
      Joshua’s feet are simply too slow at the moment. Usyk is out of range before AJ gets anywhere close.
      OH HANG ON! Joshua hits Usyk on the waistband and the Ukrainian then limps off in pain!
      The referee stops the action for a good 20 seconds and a bit of confusion ensues around the arena. Didn’t look like a low blow.
      The referee stops the action for a good 20 seconds and a bit of confusion ensues around the arena.
      We are back underway and Joshua unloads. Something may be wrong with Usyk!
      The champion composes himself and gets back to bouncing on his feet for the remainder of the round. But is that a turning point in the fight? Has AJ’s bodywork got to the Ukrainian?
      Best round for Joshua so far. 49-47 Usyk.
      Round 6
      The replays show that the shot to the body was borderline from Joshua – it hit the waistline of Usyk and was arguably a bit low. The referee must have deemed it to be so or he wouldn’t have stopped to allow Usyk to recover.
      Back we go to the action and round six. Has Usyk recovered?
      Joshua looking to command the action a bit more now as he drives a right hand down the pipe and narrowly misses the target, Usyk comes back with a sharp hook.
      Joshua backs Usyk up against the ropes and has some success with a combination but the champion works his way out of the tight spot with some lovely footwork.
      Another close round. Joshua didn’t land enough though. Usyk takes it. 59-56 Usyk.
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      Round 7
      Usyk leads on my scorecard heading into the second half of the fight but this is a closely-fought contest.
      Joshua definitely more aggressive in the last couple of rounds but is still yet to land much of significance.
      Nice jab squeezes through from the champion. This is a brilliant three minutes from Usyk as he stems the flow of some AJ momentum by making him miss and pay.
      Usyk lands a nice right hook which moves into an uppercut as the bell goes.
      Some really nice shots from Usyk to the body and head. 69-65 Usyk.
      Round 8
      The referee calls a time out 20 seconds in as the canvas needs a clean – it’s been slippery all night.
      Nice right uppercut to the body from Joshua, but Usyk’s bodywork continues to be the more impressive.
      There’s a great left hand to the body from AJ though! Usyk felt that one for sure!
      Joshua struggling to follow up his success with any combinations. Usyk is able to reset and measure the distance once more.
      Another one-two to the body rifles into Usyk’s body. Much better work from Joshua.
      A good round for the challenger who treats himself to a wry smile inside the final 10 seconds. 78-75 Usyk.
      Round 9
      Usyk is so good at stalling Joshua’s momentum whenever AJ has some spots of success.
      There’s a couple of nice head shots which get through and Usyk has to hold!
      Joshua is going for the finish all of a sudden! Combinations from AJ and how on earth is Usyk still standing?!
      Huge round from AJ. His best of the fight. He now has to make this count! 87-85 Usyk.
      Round 10
      Usyk has comeout looking fresher than ever! The man is made of steel and Joshua has used up all his energy in that enslaught in the previous round.
      The champion fires huge shots at the head of AJ and the Brit is all over the place. His legs are like jelly but somehow he is still standing.
      Usyk looks for the finish now but Joshua comes back with a brilliant right which shakes the Ukrainian to his boots!
      Incredible action as Joshua walks back to the ropes and Usyk senses the end is near.
      As AJ walks forward Usyk lands three, four, five shots as a weary-looking Joshua eats them up with the body language of a tired, beaten man. Round nine may well have been his best chance.
      Wonderful stuff from the champion. 97-94 Usyk.
      Round 11
      Usyk schools Joshua with some wonderful movement in the first 90 seconds of the round – making the champion miss and then making him pay.
      AJ eventually manages to back Usyk up against the ropes but can’t land anything of substance as the champion takes a couple of body shots on the arms.
      The angles Usyk creates really are something to behold. He is constantly outside the line of AJ who does not have the movement to counteract him.
      A clear round for the champion. Joshua has three minutes to find an unlikely knockout. 107-103 Usyk.
      Round 12
      Nice body shot from Joshua to start the final round. If he is going to go down, he may as well go down swinging.
      Lovely left hook-right hand combination from AJ and Usyk has to hold! But Joshua then almost tumbles to the canvas while trying to grapple the champion.
      Usyk fires back with some wonderful combination punching and Joshua’s tank is empty now, he has put everything into this but it’s simply not enough.
      Usyk takes the final round and clearly wins the fight. A truly majestic display from the Ukrainian.
      SunSport’s final scorecard: 117-112 Usyk. More