Oleksandr Usyk fires shots at Vladimir Putin after dedicating Anthony Joshua win to Ukrain | Boxing | Sport

It was a strange incident for Joshua, who is usually a smooth operator and a calm figure inside the ring. But a bizarre speech only highlighted how the 32-year-old had struggled to keep a lid on his emotions on a warm night in Saudi Arabia.

“If you knew my story you would understand the passion,” he said. “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 not a 12-round fighter, look at me, I’m a new breed of heavyweights,” Joshua continued. “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.”

However, he did play some part in helping Usyk get the message out by raising the Ukraine flag with him and praising his opponent, adding: “This guy here is a phenomenal talent. We’re going to cheer for him three times.”