Oleksander Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk believes his man did more than just beat Anthony Joshua physically across their two fights and is now saying he thinks Usyk ‘ate his soul.’
Usyk and Joshua shared 24 tough rounds across two fights in 2021 and 2022. Joshua won only a handful of those in all, first losing then failing to regain his WBO, WBA and IBF world titles against the Ukrainian southpaw.
Speaking to Boxing News, Krassyuk examined what he thinks happened to Joshua in the wake of those back-to-back losses to Usyk.
“Well, listen, he was injured mentally by Usyk.
Usyk ate his heart and then ate his soul, so it was a devastating performance and AJ has his ego, like a warrior, he has his ego and this ego was suffering. So he has to recuperate his mind, he has to rehabilitate, he has to repair himself and that’s what he’s doing step by step.”
He then assessed Joshua’s performances in the two fights he has had since, first against Jermaine Franklin, then Robert Helenius.
“His first fight was not the best, let’s say, politely, but this fight with a late replacement [Helenius] was a better one and he knocked the guy out.”
Last of all he shared his hopes for Joshua’s next fight.
“I wish he’d fight Deonaty Wilder next because, for me, this is a 50-50 fight, absolutely 50-50.”
He is not the only one who would like to see this fight, with hopes still high that it is next up for both men in early 2024.