On Sunday, 20th August 2022, Ukrainian Oleksander Usyk defeated British-Nigerian boxer, Anthony Joshua, by a split decision to win the heavyweight title rematch.
On a split decision, Usyk retained the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO titles. Usyk, 35, had last year defeated the defending champion in London.
After the fight, while addressing the crowd, Joshua said: “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 arse 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 further said, “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. This guy here is a phenomenal talent, we’re going to cheer for him three times.”