Carl Froch has branded Anthony Joshua "disrespectful" after an angry strop following his loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their world heavyweight title rematch tonight.
Froch, a former world champion in his own right, believes that Joshua "stole Usyk's moment" when he threw two of the Ukrainian's belts to the ground and stormed out of the ring, before returning and demanding the microphone. The Brit somehow ended up with the WBA super title belt and The Ring magazine strap, and threw them both on the ground in anger after the fight.
He and Usyk had just gone the distance for a second time, with the champion retaining his unified belts by split decision in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. And Joshua insisted that he was a "new breed of heavyweight" in a foul-mouthed rant, which Froch was ultimately unimpressed by.
“He got the mic, he stole Usyk’s moment," Froch said from the studio during the Sky Sports Box Office broadcast of the fight. “Let’s not get too mad, he didn’t say anything that would’ve offended anyone too much, he was just trying to speak off the cuff, put his heart on his sleep and hopefully he didn’t offend anybody.
“But he did steal Usyk’s moment. It was a bit strange, I think he was so emotionally built up to win that fight, then the way in which he lost. I thought it was a great performance, let’s about the performance in a minute, I don’t think that’ll do him any damage. I didn’t like the way the belts got thrown. That Ring Magazine got chucked down there, I never had that belt and I just don’t like that, that’s disrespectful.”
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Anthony Joshua's X-rated speech in full after storming out of ring following defeat
Anthony Joshua slams belts on ground and storms out of ring after loss to Oleksandr Usyk
Joshua strangely opted to congratulate Usyk on a number of occasions during his lengthy rant, and made sure to acknowledge the struggles of his people back in Ukraine. But he also spent time telling foul-mouthed stories of his own troubled youth, and slamming critics who compare him to Rocky Marciano in a truly outlandish post-fight speech.
"Sorry guys," Joshua said after initially taking the microphone. "Look, if you knew my story you'd understand the passion. I ain't no f***ing amateur boxer from five-years-old, I wasn't an elite prospect from youth, bro, I was going to jail.
"I seen some youths in Reading jail, I got bail and I started training my a*** off. Because if I got sentenced I wouldn't be able to fight. I bust my case, my cousin, where's he at? G14. I'm stealing this Usyk, I'm sorry but it's because of the f***ing passion we've put into this s***, man.
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"Guys I'm telling you, this guy to beat me tonight, maybe I could have done better but it shows the levels of hard work he must have put in. So please give him a round of applause as our heavyweight champion of the world.
"I'm not a 12 round fighter? Look at me, I'm a new breed of heavyweight, all them heavyweights; Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, Jack Dempsey - they say 'he doesn't throw combinations like Rocky Marciano,' because I'm not f***ing 14-stone, that's why, 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. Well how many belts have you got now bro, five? As I said, I was studying Ukraine and all of the champions that have come from your amazing country, I've never been there but at the same time what's happening there is not nice.
"I saw it with [Vasily] Lomachenko in your second fight with Orlando [Salido] there was unrest in Ukraine, there was civil war. Vitali Klitschko when he faced Danny Williams, civil unrest - under them circumstances, Usyk has managed to become champion. Champ champ! I just want to say: Bismillah."
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