Anthony Joshua didn't need much time or commentary to make his first public comments on boxing headliner Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2.
Oleksandr Usyk seemingly ended his rivalry with Tyson Fury after beating Fury by unanimous decision in their rematch on Saturday. In a 12-round affair, Usyk defeated Fury in one of heavyweight boxing's greatest fights of all time, with high-octane action from start to finish.
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Coming off Saturday's 2-0 win over Fury, Usyk has cemented himself as the best heavyweight in boxing. He will likely be the winner of Daniel Dubois vs. Meeting Joseph Parker for his next fight, although all options are on the table.
Joshua, who has lost to Usyk twice in the ring, wouldn't mind getting a third chance against Usyk later if the opportunity arose. But he is looking to bounce back in his TBA return after a brutal TKO loss.
After watching Usyk beat Fury for the second time in less than a year, Joshua showed class to his former rival in a post-fight social media post.
Anthony Joshua shares a stylish message after Oleksandr Usyk's win
Joshua responded to Usyk's win in a one-word statement on his Instagram Story.
“Respect,” Joshua posted along with the Ukrainian flag emoji.
At the time of writing, neither Usyk nor Fury have responded to Joshua's post-fight comments. After falling to Usyk, Fury could potentially face Joshua in a British boxing match in 2025.
But Fury is not keen on the idea of facing Joshua, despite the big payday a fight would likely happen for both fighters. Fury ruled out retirement after Usyk's second loss, opening the door for a possible showdown with Joshua.
Anthony Joshua linked to a possible Tyson Fury fight for a boxing comeback
Joshua lost to Dubois by fifth-round knockout in their IBF heavyweight title fight in September. Dubois will face Joseph Parker in his next title defense in February, and the winner could potentially welcome Joshua back to the ring.
Dubois also confronted Usyk in the ring after the Fury rematch and called for a run-back for the Ukrainian powerhouse's next fight. Usyk finished Dubois with a ninth-round knockout last year before his two clashes with Fury.
Before the loss to Dubois, Joshua was on a four-fight winning streak and seemed rejuvenated after back-to-back losses to Usyk. He knocked out former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in March after recent victories over Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin.
At the time of writing, the timeline for Joshua's return to boxing is uncertain. But if he does, you can bet he'll be paired with another big name as he looks to eventually return to world title contention.
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