Ricky Hatton has fired a warning to Anthony Joshua over his potential rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua, 31, was left stunned at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Saturday as the Ukrainian produced a masterful display to take the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight belts.
The result all but scuppers Joshua’s hopes of his next fight being a long-awaited showdown with fellow British fighter Tyson Fury, and he has already stated his intention to invoke his rematch clause with Usyk, 34.
Former professional boxer Hatton, 42, admitted he was left “gutted” by the result, but was also full of praise for Usyk as he outlined his fears for Joshua second time round.
Writing in his column for the Metro he said: “He (Usyk) maintained it from start to finish and I think in the last round when he put his foot on the gas, he was saying to AJ: ‘This still isn’t my best. I’ve still got some more to come here.’
“It was a bit of a warning there for AJ for this rematch. ‘Look what I can really do when I put my foot down.’ Which is a very worrying sign for AJ.”
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Hatton still backed Joshua to recover from his latest setback, but thinks his second career defeat is a real blow to British boxing fans.
“I am genuinely gutted. We as British fight fans wanted to see AJ get the win. He has done the country so proud, he is a lovely fella.
“Tyson is my mate and he’s gone through so many bad times I want him to get to the very top and getting those two in the ring was the one we as fight fans wanted more than anything. So I do feel for AJ. He is a good man.
“Joshua vs Fury would have been their defining fight. Although AJ’s career isn’t over yet – far from it – that is the fight we all wanted.”