This weekend was an eventful one in Saudi Arabia as everyone watched professional boxer Anthony Joshua fight against Uysk. Not only was Anthony Joshua in the ring, but Dubai’s 2 Division Boxing World Champion Badou Jack who fought against Richard Rivera for Rage on the red sea.
In an exclusive interview with Badou Jack before the fight, Badou tells us “I am an overall better fighter.” With a strict and intense training routine, Badou went into the ring focused on his goal and after 10 rounds, the judges scored the fight 96-94, giving Badou Jack his 3rd Division win. Although the round had been extended to 4 minutes instead of 3, Badou proved to be the stronger fighter and he had told everyone “I think I did enough.”
The 38-year-old fought as Anthony Joshua’s undercard and in the beginning, took advantage of his opponent’s tiredness. Fans on social media did acknowledge on Twitter that the bell should have rung earlier and that the clock went over, but the fight was fair and Jack got the overall win.
Badou celebrated his win by visiting the Masjid Al Haram Makkah with his ‘home team.’
Anthony Joshua VS Oleksandr Usyk
British professional boxer Anthony Joshua lost his temper after the defeat against Uysk. Having felt confident like every other fighter and training up to the Saturday, fans of Joshua were rooting for him to win the fight on the “red sea.”
It was not the fight that everyone on social media wanted to talk about, but what happened after. Anthony Joshua showed the world on global screens his erratic behaviour after losing the fight. The split decision by the judges which gave Usyk the overall win infuriated Joshua making him storm off towards his changing room before returning to the ring grabbing Usyk’s WBA and Ring Magazine belts, throwing them outside of the ropes.
The boxer, who was still filled with frustration and anger, then walked towards Usyk and said “you’re not strong, how did you beat me? How? I had character and determination.” This was the first time in history a boxer was seen to have an emotional breakdown after a fight and seizing the microphone and talking to the crowd about his past and nearly going to prison.
With the world coming to a standstill at Anthony Joshua’s speech, there were mixed reviews about it on social media. Of course, it felt awkward to watch but many felt the same posting memes of the speech and commenting saying “the most embarrassing post fight speech I’ve seen” “Anthony Joshua might have had concussion. That’s the only explanations for his cringeworthy speech. His team should have stopped him immediately.”
I understand the passion but please take a moment and reflect on why this has left such a bad taste in people’s mouths. This was a moment of positiveness for all the people in Ukraine 🇺🇦 an occasion for their Champ to make an uplifting speech after the year they have had.
— scott martin (@flaccidmember) August 21, 2022
Honest to god man, I’m still cringing for Anthony Joshua after that speech 😳 every time I think about it 🤢👊🏻
— Little Miss Sunshine 💚🤍🧡 (@TinyMissSmiley_) August 21, 2022
Two Division UFC World Champion Conor McGregor showed his support for Anthony Joshua’s speech by publishing a tweet saying:
You are all going on ridiculous over this. That is a great speech right there. Fair play to him he made it yet he is still in there keeping that cog going. If they wanted the mic they could’ve tried get it back. Then he gives me a shout out. Great fight, thank you! #champchamp https://t.co/OEh27DSr1N
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 21, 2022
What do you think of Badou Jack’s performance at the fight in Saudi Arabia and what is your reaction to Anthony Joshua’s speech inside the ring? Let us know by tweeting your thoughts @itpliveme.
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