Anthony Joshua went philosophical after losing his world titles to Ukrainian foe, Oleksandr Usyk, on Sunday morning in their London bout.
“Keep positive even if the world’s crumbling in front of you! London I love you & thank you each and every time!” he had tweeted via his verified Twitter handle @anthonyjoshua.
AJ at his post-fight press conference, however, vowed, “I will come back again, pick up where I left off and be better.
“I don’t look at the weight, I just look at whatever happens in sparring and adapt my training from that, the weight sorts itself from that.”
Chief Sports Writer and columnist for the Daily Mirror, Dave Kidd, sees it differently, though.
Writing on the bout, Kidd said, “For the second time in little more than two years, Anthony Joshua had his world titles ripped from his grasp.
“And this time, they will not be so easily reclaimed.”
British sports promoter Eddie Hearn notes that the Usyk defeat is easier to take than the Ruiz shocking defeat.
“This is easier to take than Ruiz because we know how good Usyk is.
“We thought AJ would steam through everyone and it was a bolt from the blue.
“Here he was beaten by a better man and that is sport.
“He is a deep thinker and he will beat himself for a little while because he dedicates himself to the sport, but this will cut him deep.
“We are gutted but more understanding at high level sport.”
Still at the post-fight press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, AJ revealed that he could not see from the ninth round, but he says he “100%” wants the rematch against Oleksandr Usyk.
“What went wrong? I just took a loss, I could not see from the ninth round, my eye was shut but it was a good experience.
“In adversity you have to learn to control yourself, it was the first time it had happened to me, i was only looking out of one eye.
“I want it 100 percent it was a good 12 rounder and it will help me get better,” the former world champion explained.
According to analysts, Anthony Joshua, Britain’s WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight champion was comprehensively out-boxed by the cunning Ukrainian southpaw Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua lost a unanimous and indisputable decision, as a crackling atmosphere at Tottenham Hotspur’s magnificent stadium descended into near-silence, the judges’ verdicts met by not even a murmur of dissent.
Meanwhile, the chance of Joshua ever fighting fellow Brit Tyson Fury for the undisputed title – a contest which came close to fruition this summer – now looks extremely remote.