The journey is not over for Anthony Joshua, who has declared he “has a lot more to bring”.
The popular Londoner, who drew another huge crowd to Wembley Stadium last weekend where he lost in five rounds to Daniel Dubois, has pledged to fight on and continue with his attempts to become a three-time heavyweight world champion.
“We came up short, but we’ve got to look at all the positives. That’s the perspective and the mindset that we have to have,” said Joshua. “A positive one. Always. Look at what we’ve achieved in the space of 11 years. It’s phenomenal. And I want to thank each and every one of you that’s been riding with me.
“What a roller coaster journey. But you know what the problem is? It’s that it’s far from over yet. We’ve done it once. We’ve done it twice. Doing it a third time hasn’t been easy, but I believe it’s something that I can achieve. It’s about making the right steps forward, working hard, improving, and it’s got to come from here [he tapped his heart] more than anything. It can’t come from any external voices or influences. It’s got to come from here.
“And it’s only been a day, but when I sit back and I’m thinking, I know I’ve got a lot of this [heart], man. I know I’ve got a lot of this.”
The 2012 London Olympic gold medallist is now 28-4 (25 KOs) and remains a huge attraction in the UK. As well as express his desire to carry on, he also took a moment to let his fans know he was grateful.
“Just a video to say, thanks for your support,” Joshua, 34, added. “Thanks for being on this roller coaster journey with me. Keep your seatbelts tight, because deep, deep, deep down in here [pointed to his heart again], I know we’ve got a lot more to bring to the game. And long may it continue. British boxing, I appreciate you. We rise up together. Let’s go.”