Anthony Joshua has said he is ‘desperate’ to avenge his loss to Oleksandr Usyk when the pair clash again this August, while the unbeaten Ukrainian has claimed that he is fighting to ‘save’ his ‘soul’.
Usyk outpointed Joshua with ease last September, taking the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles from the Briton in north London. Now the pair are preparing to go head to head again, this time in Saudi Arabia, on 20 August. Speaking at a press conference in London on Wednesday, Joshua said: “Listen, it’s a rough and tough sport, especially fighting these lefties; they’re a nightmare. “But it is what it is, isn’t it? You’ve gotta dig deep, tuck up, and not make the same mistake twice [...] I’m definitely desperate to get my hands on [the titles]. Less talk, more action. Let me get in there and do my job. I’m not a comedian, I’m not someone who writes speeches... I’m definitely hungry, definitely desperate, but at the end of the day, how I perform will speak volumes to the masses.”
Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk, meanwhile, said: “I’m not fighting for money or recognition – I don’t need this. I don’t need to become the greatest, I’m just doing my job now and will continue doing it as long as my heart is beating. The only thing I’m on my way to is to save my soul. Everything else is just life [...] I do understand that he’s gonna be different, so will I.”
Re-live updates below.
