Anthony Joshua has revealed he grieved over his defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr.
The Brit was relieved of his belts by the unfancied Mexican-American in June when he was dropped four times before being stopped.
He will have the opportunity to win back his belts on December 7 when the pair clash again in their controversial Saudi Arabia rematch.
And Joshua revealed he was hard on himself in the aftermath of his defeat.
I think I had to grieve and ask myself all the questions you would expect,” he said on on Eddie Hearn’s ’No Passion, No Point’ podcast.
"People say 'you lost'; I call it a blip. I can't wait to get in there and fight him. Every time I have fought a champion I have risen to the occasion."
Joshua opted not to have home advantage for his second fight with Ruiz, instead opting for the desert.
But he is confident he has what it takes to avenge his only professional loss.
"I need to start taking this approach to my fights where I'm a bit more lively," he added.
"I know I'm capable of it. There is too much at stake. If I go in there where I'm switched on, a time like the Ruiz fight where I am so relaxed, that might be the difference."
Ruiz, however believes Joshua has been forced into taking an immediate rematch against his wishes.
“They’re forcing him to go straight to the rematch,” he said. “I think he wanted to do something a little different, to go through a different route and then face me.
“But it is what it is, we’re fighting in Saudi Arabia and I’m excited.”
