After losing the heavyweight championship to the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday in Saudi Arabia, Anthony Joshua is furious.
Usyk successfully defended his heavyweight belts by defeating Joshua a second bout, and the Englishman was defeated by a split decision.
Following the fight's conclusion, Joshua threw two of Usyk's belts to the ground and went to change before bursting back into the ring to shake Usyk's hand.
He then took the microphone and launched into a profanity-laced tirade about the fight, his career, giving Usyk applause, and the continuing issue in Ukraine.
Joshua returned to the ring to address the crowd in Jeddah, his emotions visibly high following the defeat following twelve rounds of breathtaking fighting.
The Englishman opened by talking about his youth and his run-ins with the law as he took stock of his career after the humiliating loss and praised his opponent.
"If you were to know my story, you would comprehend the fervour. I wasn't an exceptional prospect as a young amateur boxer when I was five years old. When I learned I was heading to jail, I was granted bail, and I immediately began preparing assiduously for a fight. I apologise, but it's due of the fervour with which we approached this. Please give him a round of applause as our heavyweight champion of the world. This guy beating me tonight may have been something I could have done better at, but it shows the level of effort I put in.
In his first fight at Tottenham Hotspur stadium last year, Joshua gave Usyk a run for his money and put on a significantly better performance, but he was unable to defeat his Ukrainian opponent.
After losing, the former champion proclaimed himself a "new breed of heavyweight" and called Usyk a "phenomenal talent."
"You don't throw combinations like Rocky Marciano," said Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, and Jack Dempsey, "you're a new breed of heavyweights. It's hard work." I'm not a 12-round warrior.
We will cheer for this man three times because he has such a great talent.
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