Former cruiserweight champion and current boxing expert at Sky Sports channel Briton Johnny Nelson is still confident that his compatriot heavyweight Anthony Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) may have serious problems with motivation if he continues his career.
August 20 in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) Joshua suffered a second defeat in a row from the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs). WBA Super, IBF and WBO titles were at stake. After the fight, Nelson stated that now “Anthony has to make a decision – is he ready to act as a backup dancer?”
Expert
explains his thought: “It’s simple. Joshua is one of those fighters who doesn’t see himself as a sideline. They do not see themselves as eternal contenders. He wants to be a champion. And the question is whether he is ready to come to terms with the reality in which he is already without a title. This is the whole question. That’s the whole problem. He wants to be a champion. But will he have enough motivation? What motivates him? Money? You yourself know that this is not so. He is very rich.”
“He has always been hit hard by critics and fans. If he endured all this, then there was a reason for it. But has she remained the same? Understand that all athletes every morning ask themselves the same question: “What for me all this?” And the whole point is whether he has an answer to this question. Perhaps everything would have changed if Usyk retired. I guess then Joshua could get his motivation back. For him, this would be a signal: “Come on, AJ! Don’t miss your chance!” Nelson argues.
In October last year, Nelson said: “Usyk is an ordinary left-hander!” But after the rematch with Joshua, he seems to have changed his mind: the Ukrainian is simply too good. It’s funny that Usyk reacted to the expert’s words: “Why say such a thing? Does he want to fight me?”
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