“I will relieve the Ukrainian bum of his belt”
“I don’t feel anything” – Anthony Joshua loses again to Oleksandr Usyk
World boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk remains the heavyweight king. In the agreed rematch, the Ukrainian defeated former British champion Anthony Joshua on points in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
After Oleksandr Usyk’s victory over Anthony Joshua, the question is: who will the world heavyweight champion step into the ring against? One candidate is Tyson Fury. The Englishman reports back from retirement with pithy words.
AWhen Anthony Joshua was sporty on the ground, he also lost his reputation as a fair sportsman with a confused performance. After a close but well-deserved loss in a high-class duel with world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, a utterly frustrated Joshua threw down two of the Ukrainian’s world title belts, stormed out of the ring in frustration – and returned for an abstruse and profanity-strewn speech. Instead of letting Usyk take the spotlight, he disrespectfully stole the moment of triumph from the deserved champion.
After Joshua had calmed down, Usyk finally had his say. “I dedicate this victory to my country, my family, my team and all the soldiers defending the country. Thank you very much,” said the 35-year-old Ukrainian when he finally got a chance to speak after Joshua’s inglorious performance.
For Usyk, the duel was more than just a boxing match, because it should also give his compatriots hope in a dark time of war. The boxer made it possible for the world championship fight in Ukraine to be followed free of charge on state television and in the live stream. Usyk volunteered for a month in the war of aggression launched by Russia, but then, at the urging of his compatriots, decided to fight as a boxer again.
Oleksandr Usyk celebrated with a Ukrainian flag in the ring
Source: dpa/Nick Potts
Volodymyr Zelenskyj attributed a highly symbolic effect to his compatriot’s victory: “Difficult, but so important and necessary victory! Defending the world title is a symbol that all those who belong to the Cossacks will not give up their title, but will fight for it and will definitely win!” tweeted the President of Ukraine.
Fury wants to fight Usyk
Now the question arises between whom the next heavyweight summit will rise. Usyk has in mind a duel with WBC champion Tyson Fury, who is actually retired. “I’m sure Fury hasn’t actually resigned and he wants to fight me. I want to fight him and if I don’t fight Fury, I don’t fight at all,” Usyk said while still in the ring.
Fury then spoke up with a video on social media and responded to the offer of a unification fight with the usual pithy words. “Send me in the ring and I’ll relieve the Ukrainian bum of his belt like I did the last Ukrainian bum,” Fury said. “But it won’t be cheap. If you want the best, you have to pay. It’s going to be very expensive, so get those check books out.”
Fury had dethroned Usyk’s Ukrainian compatriot Wladimir Klitschko as four-time world champion in Düsseldorf in 2015. Actually, the “Gypsy King” didn’t want to get in the ring anymore, he had confirmed this a few days ago. He has until August 26th to explain to the WBC association whether he is giving back his world championship belt or whether he is going to continue.
