Vitali Klitschko admits he believes he is to blame for his brother, Wladimir’s, loss to Anthony Joshua.
The former heavyweight champion, who was part of Wladimir’s corner during the fight, said he offered his brother the “wrong advice”.
Joshua knocked Wladimir out in the 11th round of a bout that kept watchers entranced till its conclusion.
Speaking to Boxingscene.com, Vitali said: “Immediately after the fight, we were barely speaking. We do not need to talk, it was just enough to look into each other’s eyes.
“Only in the locker room, I thanked him for one of the best fights of his career. I know how important this fight was for him and unfortunately, we saw what happened. In the heavyweight division, each punch can be decisive.
“I blame myself for the defeat of my brother, I share some of the blame. When Wladimir almost knocked Joshua out, I gave him the wrong advice.
“I was positive that Joshua, with his huge muscle mass, would not be able to last (the distance). I advised Wladimir not to rush anything. I had hoped that after the seventh, the eighth round, Joshua would really slow down.
“Now I think that maybe it was a mistake, maybe it was necessary to finish him off sooner.”
Wladimir is expected to make a decision within the next two weeks about a possible rematch, but Vitali said he will stand by whatever decision he makes.
“To be honest, Wladimir has nothing more to prove,” he said.
