₦airaland Forum

kponkedenge:
Congratulations. The most important thing is winning. That's all that matters.

Edu3Again:
Excuse

Lombardi:
Unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua said a health issue left him "tired" and "drained" in the build-up to his June defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr.

Joshua, 30, reclaimed his world titles in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, dominating the Mexican over 12 rounds.

Conspiracy theories had circulated after his initial defeat, one of the biggest shocks in heavyweight history.


"I had some issue with my health which I was going through for a long time," Joshua told the 5 Live Boxing podcast.

The Briton added: "I didn't know what was wrong with me. I felt so tired and drained and thought it must be down to training.

"In the changing room before the fight I got a bucket of ice and was putting my head in it thinking 'why do I feel so tired?'

5 live boxing podcast: AJ the morning after and final thoughts from Saudi Arabia
Joshua's victory in pictures
How social media reacted to Joshua's win
Mike Costello's commentary of Joshua's winning moment
"The responsibilities of being world champion are difficult. All that stuff, feeling so tired, dealing with obligations.

"Now I have energy, I haven't missed a session."

He added: "After my check-ups it showed what the problem was and this is what you have to get sorted.


"Even in this camp I had an operation done but as I'd started training in June I had no issues."

Joshua refused to say what the operation was but it is understood the procedure he had was linked to the issue diagnosed after his defeat by Ruiz.

Joshua opens up at last
Joshua had hinted previously that he had something to reveal about what went on before his first career defeat and, after initial hesitation, provided at least some insight to the 5 Live Boxing podcast.

Joshua 'emotional' after regaining heavyweight world titles
'With the fear of humiliation came Joshua's best display'
Theories aired in the interim had ranged form him having shown the effects of being concussed in sparring to having a seizure before the bout at Madison Square Garden.

He now says he feels "back" and "focused".

The two-time world heavyweight champion also said he learned a valuable lesson not to accept opponents at short notice - Ruiz was drafted in six weeks before their fight after American Jarrell Miller failed three drug tests.

Joshua, who will return to the UK in the early hours of Monday morning with the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, was on the front of Sunday's Saudi newspapers, alongside Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, who attended his fight.

Despite widespread criticism of staging the bout in a country criticised for its human rights record, Joshua said he would "100%" be happy to return to the kingdom on holiday or to perform.

'All challengers are welcome'
Joshua is now expected to face either the WBO's mandatory challenger - currently Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk - or the man in the same position with the IBF, Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev.

He said he was no longer interested in calling out WBC champion Deontay Wilder for a historic bout with all four world heavyweight titles on the line.

I was overweight, says Ruiz
Listen: Highlights of Ruiz-Joshua fight
Chasing a contest with compatriot Tyson Fury was also dismissed as Joshua said he hoped to focus on one "hurdle" at a time.

"Looking so far ahead it can be a blurry vision looking that far out," Joshua told BBC Sport.

"Sooner or later I will be looking directly at the undisputed championship of the world.

"If the opportunity presents itself I will fight Wilder and Fury. Wilder has a fight with Fury in February. Once that is out of the way they can start mentioning my name.

"I can't keep on fighting all the champions, the best in the division and then other people who say they want to step up don't step up.

"All challengers are welcome to take on this current unified champion."

Joshua said to defend his belts "on home soil would be big news" after promoter Eddie Hearn revealed he had been in discussions over a fight at Tottenham's new 60,000-capacity stadium, most likely against Pulev.

"It would be mega," Joshua added. "Looking at how many people came out here shows there is still a big interest in the heavyweight division, especially now we are taking the belts back.

"Sometimes it would be better against a Brit, but if not I follow the mandatories and defend them that way."

Source:https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/50704532

Romanoff:
For the first time on this forum, I read a long post word for word.

midolian:
Now the health issue is gone and you couldn't give the fat boy a KO..

Abeg enjoy your gelato in peace. Don't infuriate some of us

madjune:
This guy sabi give excuse for defeat.

Weak guy. He just hasn't met his match..

voskia:
mybe you should try out tyson fury.. it
would definately be a great match up.. but u go likely collect beating sha..

DenreleDave:
Any job within lagos Pls.... Pls quote me if any... Yet to serve though..

kponkedenge:
Congratulations. The most important thing is winning. That's all that matters.

melaxy:
Send me your contact. Zigmexy@gmail.com

Xisnin:
You can't read.

Yankiss:
AJ"s home soil is UK and Nigerians won't let us rest. Anyways, I like the young chap. He should please take it easy with DJ Cuppy's Puna. That one is not heavy weight bout

VivaDeAngelo:
Why are we hearing this now? You waited to win so can spew this nonsense. What happened to staying humble and hungry? Abeg enjoy your victory in peace but avoid Wilder and Fury, you are not in the same league with these guys.

akilo1:
Congrats, i knew it that the june first was not real joshau , children of hate oya make una come ooo food don ready

mimilogs:
Our champ, we are proud of you, even though we expected a knock out

ctleurocollege:
Ruiz will win in a street fight. Anthony has better boxing tactics though. He ran around the ring not allowing Ruiz the chance to come close. I think Wilder will kill Anthony

livebyday:


This man can pander .. you won on points hush up already

A win is a win.. yeah it cost me money but that's life let's all move on..

No one really cares if you didn't knock him out the fact is you won

Leave the sob stories for ELLEN or Straight Talk show

Right here we have a government who has incarcerated SOWORE for no just cause after telling his aide Lauretta to come online and tell us SOWORE staged his own arrest, only later to have DSS confirm they arrested him after the same DSS first claimed it was SOWORE and his supporters who took him

So forgive me if at this point I don't care if you had the flu and that's why you didn't knock out Ruiz

Geez!!

author=quirus post=84757147]

Bad belle, leave the Champ alone.

Your loss is due to your bad judgement and ill-will, and he is not the cause, so stop venting your disappointment on him.

He is our Champ, and we love him.

kponkedenge:
Congratulations. The most important thing is winning. That's all that matters.

Xisnin:
You can't read.

ednut1:
He can be sued for saying this. Why not postpone the fight then. Fury or wilder next. Lets see