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Reuters

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Reuters

The rematch between Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk caught the attention of the world for all the wrong reasons. Usyk won the fight via split decision in a historic performance and cemented his legacy as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

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Moreover, boxing legend Mike Tyson somewhat predicted this outcome in March last year. In an interview with Haute Living, Iron Mike stated that although he loved Joshua, he felt Usyk was too quick for him. He claimed that Joshua had to defend the quick jab from the Ukrainian if he wanted to stand a chance. “It’s gonna be hard to beat him. It’s gonna be hard to beat Usyk because he’s fast and he out-punched Joshua with his jab. Joshua has to learn to deal with his jab. He’s too fast for Joshua. Joshua has to put a lot of pressure on him and keep it on him all night. He’s a powerful puncher, but he’s not as accurate,” said Tyson.

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Read More: “Size and Length Don’t Mean Sh*t” – Conor McGregor Joins Fans to React as Francis Ngannou Fight Is Proposed to Anthony Joshua After Oleksandr Usyk Defeat

Iron Mike’s prediction turned out to be eerily true as Usyk did control the pace in the latter rounds. He was able to pressure the British boxer with constant punches while avoiding the hard shots AJ threw at him. Eventually, winning in what many felt should have been a unanimous decision.

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Anthony Joshua calls out Mike Tyson

However, in an embarrassing display of professionalism, Joshua did not handle his defeat like the champion he was. A frustrated AJ went on a rant after the fight, trying to take away the spotlight from Usyk. This was not all, as Joshua even called out Tyson during this rant.

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I’m not a 12-round fighter. Look at me, I’m a new breed of heavyweights. All them heavyweights Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, Jack Dempsey. You don’t throw combinations like Rocky Marciano. Cause I ain’t fu***ng 14-stone that’s why I’m 18-stone, I’m heavy,” said Joshua, trying to imitate Tyson’s infamous speech where he compared him to Jack Dempsey.

The post-fight interview looked like Joshua trying to cut a pro-wrestling promo. Moreover, this was not received well by fans and fellow boxers who criticized Joshua for his antics after losing.

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However, many people also defended the British boxer, stating that he had a lapse in judgment after a high-stakes loss. It is understandable that after a crushing defeat like this, emotions run high, but Joshua could have certainly handled the situation better.

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Written by

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Sahil Sood

1,864 Articles

Sahil Sood is a Boxing writer at EssentiallySports, who specializes in covering live events and core sports. Sahil holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has authored over 1300 articles at EssentiallySports. His coverage of Sylvester Stallone's training with Earnie Shavers was widely praised for its depth and insight. As a practitioner of Jiu-Jitsu and a passionate fan of combat sports, Sahil's love for the sport shines through in his writing. His favorite bout, Roberto Duran vs 'Sugar' Ray Leonard, is a testament to his appreciation for the all-time classics and his deep understanding of the technical aspects of boxing. Aside from his writing, Sahil's life revolves around his training for national tournaments, reflecting the same dedication and discipline that he brings to his work as a boxing writer.

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Ajinkya Aswale

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