Anthony Joshua denies claims he had panic attack before Andy Ruiz Jr fight

Anthony Joshua has denied he had a panic attack or was suffering from food poisoning before his shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr but has said he will continue to work with his trainer, Rob McCracken.

“There was no contaminated food. I know there’s a lot of accusations or worries about what was wrong with me,” the British heavyweight said in a video released on his YouTube channel.

“I warmed up really well. I had no panic attack – I’m not that type of person, you know me. I have to take my loss like a man. No blaming anyone, no blaming anything. I’m the one who went in there to perform and my performance didn’t go to plan.”

Lennox Lewis was among those to suggest Joshua should look for a new trainer, but the 29-year-old has insisted he will stick with McCracken. “I took my first [professional] loss. How to explain that feeling? It has happened to me before but I feel like those times I lost years back have made me a stronger person,” Joshua said.

“This hasn’t really changed me, my work ethic, my mindset, what I stand for, the people I’m still loyal to – my trainer Rob McCracken, my amateur coach at Finchley ABC. I’m still going to work with these guys, they’ll teach me everything I need to know.”

Joshua has vowed to win back the IBF, WBA and WBO titles he lost in a rematch with the Mexican-American later this year, and suggested that could happen in New York. “I would not mind if it was in New York again, I would not mind if it was in England,” he said. “But New York opened their arms for me and my whole team and it was phenomenal.”

He added: “I’m the one who has to adjust, analyse and do my best to correct it and get the job done in the rematch. Boxing is a part of my life and I’m a champion at heart. Congratulations to Andy Ruiz, he has six months or so to be champion because the belts go in the air and he has to defend them against myself.”