Anthony Joshua team ‘left him out to dry’ as Frazer Clarke apologises for ‘strange’ rant

Anthony Joshua’s training partner Frazer Clarke has come out and apologised on the Watford powerhouse’s behalf after his impassioned speech following his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. ‘AJ’ was unable to overcome the odds tonight despite a spirited effort but showed marked improvements on his previous display. Clearly frustrated, Joshua stormed out of the ring and threw down the Ring Magazine and WBA (super) belts before taking to the mic.

“Usyk’s one hell of a f***ing fighter, give him a round of applause,” said Joshua as the crowd erupted. “Oh my, that’s just emotion. Wait, wait I’m talking!” snapped Joshua as Usyk approached. “If you knew my story then you’d understand the passion. I ain’t no f***ing amateur boxer from five years old that was an elite prospect from a youth bro. I was going to jail in Reading jail.

“I got bail and I started training my a*** off cause if I got sentenced I wanted to be able to fight. I bust my case. G14 where’s your hand? I’m stealing this Usyk I’m sorry but it’s the f***ing passion we put into this. 

Joshua then continued to praise the unified world champion for his hard work in camp and the way he has been able to fight despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. Many were critical of ‘AJ’s’ decision to take the mic in the way he did with some fans and pundits suggesting that he had ‘stolen Usyk’s moment’.

Among them was former super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch, who said: “It was a bit strange and he stole Usyk’s moment.”

But clearly concussed and emotionally drained Joshua would not have been thinking in the same way others would in hindsight and Clarke concurs this point. The fast-rising heavyweight contender blamed Joshua’s team for not looking after him in that pivotal moment and admits he would have taken ‘a dig’ in order to get the mic off him.

“I’d like to apologise on AJ’s behalf. He might not like me for this and his team might not either but they left him out to dry there. That was so out of character but the people around him, where were they? He’s had a bad one there… if I was there, I would’ve took a dig just to take the mic off of him just to give him a minute to compose himself,” said Clarke during the Sky Sports broadcast.

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