Tyson Fury refused to be critical of Anthony Joshua after the boxing star crashed to defeat against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night.
AJ had gone into the clash widely expected to blow his opponent away but, right from the beginning of the contest, was second best.
Joshua was knocked down in four of the five rounds before Dubois finally delivered the biggest blow of them all to secure victory.
Fury and Joshua have long been rivals but the Gypsy King, speaking in the aftermath of the clash, refused to stick the knife into his fellow Briton.
Tyson Fury refused to be critical of Anthony Joshua after the boxing star crashed to defeat against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night
PA
“It’s heavyweight boxing. [Stuff] happens. You get knocked spark out," he said.
"It could have been me. In the heavyweight division, it’s what happens.
“What went wrong is what always happens in heavyweight boxing. A good right hand on the end of the chin, and that was it.
"I don’t know. It’s up to the man and whatever he wants to do. If he has good ambitions to come back again, he can make his own decisions. He’s a big boy.
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“I thought it was a 50-50 fight. Dubois is a lot younger. He’s 27-years-old.
"Joshua is 35, the same age as me [Tyson is actually 36, with Joshua 34]. Age doesn’t wait for anybody.
"You get hit with those punches. You don’t see many heavyweights get hit, get knocked down, get back up, and continue on."
Prior to the clash, reports swirled that Joshua and Fury were on the verge of finally agreeing to a lucrative fight after years of speculation.
It is unclear if that will happen, however, especially with AJ losing for the third time in his last seven bouts.
And Fury refused to be drawn on speculation that a clash was close to finally happening, with the 36-year-old adding: "I've got to fight my man, the rabbit [Oleksandr Usyk].
"I'm going to take all my belts back once again.
"I guarantee you. After I fight Usyk in December and beat him, I’ll bring all the belts back that I shouldn’t have never had lost.
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Tyson Fury was present at Wembley Stadium as Anthony Joshua crashed to defeat against Daniel Dubois
PA
"Then I’ll fight Dubois and take that off him as well. That’s my plan.”
Meanwhile, Joshua opened up in the ring after his defeat.
The Watford-born star hailed Dubois for his performance after being outclassed from start to finish.
Yet Joshua also suggested he would continue to stay in boxing, despite calls for him to hang up his gloves.
Tyson Fury is open to fighting Daniel Dubois after the 27-year-old got the better of Anthony Joshua on Saturday night
REUTERS
"Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice of success, but we came up short," he said.
"You know I'm ready to kick off in the ring, but I'm going to keep my cool, keep very professional, and give respect to my opponent.
"I'm always saying to myself I'm a fighter for life... We keep rolling the dice.
"I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent and a lot of mistakes from my end, but that's the game."
