Wladimir Klitschko has revealed that he has been left "overwhelmed" by the reaction to his performance against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium.
The former world heavyweight champion was stopped in the 11th round by the British fighter, but he dropped Joshua and rolled back the years in a vintage display which was only ended by a devastating finish from his opponent.
The Ukrainian has had five weeks to reflect on the setback, but he has suggested that he has benefited from the bout which was staged in front of 90,000 people.
The 41-year-old said on Linkedln: "After years of constantly preparing myself up for victory, this is a completely new experience. I now understand that success does not necessarily mean achieving a set goal. Instead, success means achieving the best possible result. Sometimes we cannot see beforehand what the best possible result might be.
"In the end, it was Anthony Joshua who struck the decisive blow and left the ring victorious. I failed to achieve my goal of winning, but I did in fact gain much more than this. I never thought I would say such a thing, but: in defeat, I achieved much greater success than I would have had I won. Fans and sports enthusiasts worldwide are celebrating my performance and showing me their appreciation. Even my opponent expressed his respect for me.
"The responses that I received and continue to receive after this night of boxing are overwhelming. Commentators reported that I showed greatness even in defeat. I never thought I would say such a thing, but: in defeat, I achieved much greater success than I would have had I won. Fans and sports enthusiasts worldwide are celebrating my performance and showing me their appreciation. Even my opponent expressed his respect for me.
"The responses that I received and continue to receive after this night of boxing are overwhelming. Commentators reported that I showed greatness even in defeat."
Klitschko is contractually obligated to make a decision over a potential rematch with Joshua in the coming days.
