Eddie Hearn wants Anthony Joshua to ‘lose that humbleness’ and says Oleksandr Usyk rematch more likely to take place in the UK instead of Ukraine, but has international offers
Anthony Joshua has often been hailed for his conduct in victory and defeat, but Eddie Hearn would like to see his prized asset lose the humble attitude.
Appearing on talkSPORT, the Matchroom kingpin thinks AJ needs to embrace the disappointment and anger of defeat so he can reclaim his titles in the rematch with Oleksandr Usyk early next year.
“Actually, I’d like him to lose that humbleness sometimes,” Hearn said on talkSPORT Breakfast.
“He says ‘I can’t expect to be like this when I win and then sulk when I lose’ but he is sulking. That’s the reality.
“He’s fixated with the mistakes he made, he’s frustrated and disappointed, he’s gutted. All he can think about is how he can improve.
“He’s always thinking like that anyway. He got the gameplan wrong, he didn’t box great, was his preparation good enough? I think that is something he will analyse,” Hearn added.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom
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All eyes will now be on the rematch. Hearn said in the aftermath of Joshua’s defeat back on September 25 that it would likely be in the UK, but Usyk said if he had it his way, it would be in his home country of the Ukraine.
Hearn told talkSPORT he doubts the fight will be held over there.
“There’s nothing wrong with the Ukraine, I have no idea what it’s like in February, but I’d like it back in the UK.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom
“We will sit down with Usyk’s team and we will look at the options. We’ve had a couple of international offers come in for that rematch as well.
“I said to AJ the other day ‘are you sure you don’t lose these fights deliberately just to have these massive rematches?’
“It’s a huge fight again, but I’d love to do it back in the UK, probably in March or April. It’s a fight he must win,” Hearn finished.
Joshua lost his IBF, IBO, WBA (super) and WBO world heavyweight titles to Usyk via unanimous decision and with that, his hopes to face either Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder in an undisputed heavyweight clash.
Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Fury and Wilder battle for the third time this Saturday with the WBC title on the line and Fury has even suggested he’d face Dillian Whyte after that in a UK homecoming.
In the meantime, Joshua has to squarely focus on Usyk.
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