ANTHONY JOSHUA has put his failed showdown with Tyson Fury to the back of his mind as he gears up for his clash with Oleksandr Usyk, according to his physio Rob Madden.
AJ was due to face his fellow Brit in a multi-million-pound undisputed heavyweight title bout this weekend before Fury was ordered to have a trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder.
Joshua is now preparing for a September defence of his unified titles against the undefeated Usyk and is focused solely on becoming the first man to defeat to former undisputed cruiserweight champ.
Madden told The Daily Mail: “I’m not going to lie, it was disappointing for everyone. I was disappointed, obviously AJ very much so.
‘He was ready, he wanted it, we were planning for it. But this is boxing, it’s full of politics.
“Fury’s not on our minds right now; he can do what he’s doing and we’ll be ready when he is.
“But Usyk is a tough opponent who demands respect – which he has from AJ and the team.
“And having that focus is crucial, because Usyk is not a nobody. If you know boxing, you know Usyk is a very, very talented fighter.”
Joshua, 31, launched a blistering attack on Fury after the collapse of their long-awaited Battle of Britain, tweeting: “@Tyson_Fury the world now sees you for the fraud you are. You’ve let boxing down!
“You lied to the fans and led them on. Used my name for clout not a fight.
“Bring me any championship fighter who can handle their business correctly.”
But the unified champ is now relishing the opportunity to hand fellow Olympic gold medallist Usyk his first professional loss.
He said: “The date is set and we are fully locked in.
“September 25, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, I put it all on the line again and it’s time to defend my crown.
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“We are two Olympic gold medallists who have fought our way to the top and never avoided challenges.
“The stadium is exceptional, the atmosphere will be electric, I’m honoured to be the first person to fight in such an awe-inspiring venue.
“The stage is set and I am ready to handle business.”
