Anthony Joshua devastated by defeat – Eddie Hearn

Former Heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua is devastated for losing his belts to Oleksandr Usyk, his promoter, Eddie Hearn says.

Usyk was crowned the new unified world heavyweight champion after a unanimous decision win over Joshua in front of 67,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The judges scored the fight 117-112, 116-112, 115-113 for Usyk.

Hearn, in an interview with Sky Sports after thefight said he has spoken with Joshua and that it was a tough fight.

“He is devastated and already talking about training again. Congratulations to Oleksandr Usyk. What a fighter. He put in a great performance and the better man won.

“The danger was always to overthink it by trying to be technical, if you don’t use your attributes and you don’t make your mark early enough in the fight. Usyk is very fit and has great feet. He threw a lot of punches and it was all the things you worry about against a fighter like Usyk,” he said.

Hearn added Usyk was probably bit more aggressive than anticipated and that he was really good.

“He goes down in history and there are no complaints from AJ. He will go again. He has been beaten by a pound for pound great fighter. We have been here before at Madison Square Garden.

“That was different and he has been beaten by the better man on the night. He will have to make some big changes in the rematch to avenge that defeat,” he added.

In another interview with BBC, Hearn said “When (Joshua) he lost in New York everyone started analysing the dressing room, the ring walk. He was fine, he was maybe a little too relaxed on the ring walk, he was shaking everyone’s hand, he was hugging a few people that is just AJ but I feel it was the wrong type of performance. Sometimes you have to use your attributes.

“[Anthony Joshua] never really got going, he will go to hospital now, I don’t know if he has broken his eye socket, it doesn’t look great.

“But when you go back, Tony Bellew’s comments about overthinking, and fatiguing you, it is like these last three or four days you get spellbound by Usyk and you end up giving him too much respect and that becomes a problem.

“AJ said he is not going on holiday that he is going straight back to the gym and that is not a good idea.

“You could make any manner of excuse but he got beat by the better man. Sometimes you have to take it on the chin, when you lose you shake someone’s hand and say congratulations and say you will come back stronger.”