IRELAND'S CONOR McGregor has leapt to the defence of Anthony Joshua after the Englishman was beaten by Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk for the second time on Saturday.
Joshua lost his heavyweight titles to Usyk, and decided to give a bizarre speech after the fight that left a lot of fans watching at home baffled
Joshua started with his weight
"I'm not a 12-round fighter, look at me, I'm a new breed of heavyweights. Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, Jack Dempsey, 'you don't throw combinations like Rocky Marciano', cos I'm not f****** 14 stone that's why!
"I'm 18 stone, I'm heavy, it's hard work. This guy here is a phenomenal talent, we're going to cheer for him three times. How many belts you got now bro, five?
"I ain't no amateur boxer from five-years-old that was an elite prospect from youth. I was going to jail, I got bail and I started training my arse off, I wanted to be able to fight.
He then told Usyk he wasn't aware of what's going on in Ukraine, but said "it wasn't nice"
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
"I was studying Ukraine and all the amazing champions who have come from your amazing country bro. I've never been there - but at the same time what's happening there is - I don't know what's happening there - but it's not nice at the end of the day," he added
He then handed the microphone back to the winner.
A lot of fans felt that Joshua lost his head after the fight, but McGregor disagreed calling the speech 'great'.
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!" he tweeted out.
It is now expected that Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury will become a reality after the retired Gyspy king issued a call out to fork out the money for fight between the two heavyweights.
Reports emerged that a fight between the pair in December could become a reality. It remains to be seen if Fury will stay retired.