Anthony Joshua has expressed frustration at a perceived lack of ‘respect’, claiming that he’s not seen as a ‘dominant heavyweight’.
The Briton was comprehensively outpointed by Oleksandr Usyk in every man’s most up-to-date combat, dropping the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles to the unbeaten Ukrainian in London.
The pair are set for a rematch in Saudi Arabia on 20 August as “AJ” tries to regain the belts, and – with many followers expressing doubt in his skill to beat Usyk – Joshua has bemoaned a disrespect from sure observers.
“I feel like I never got that respect [as a fighter people feared],” Joshua mentioned in a JD Sports interview. “When I came into this division, it was whack.
“I thought: ‘I’m gonna come in and take on everyone…’ I feel like I’m not getting looked at as someone who is a dominant heavyweight.”
Joshua’s loss to Usyk was the 32-year-old’s second as knowledgeable, along with his solely earlier defeat coming towards Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019.
The Mexican-American knocked out Joshua at Madison Square Garden in New York City to take the Briton’s heavyweight titles, which “AJ” gained again with a call victory over Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia in December 2019.
Joshua will look to copy that feat in his rematch with Usyk, who beforehand reigned as the one undisputed cruiserweight champion of the four-belt period.
