I reckon that could be the end of Joshua, certainly in terms of aspirations to ever be undisputed heavyweight champion.
He didn't get beaten by a one-punch knockout, as Lennox did when he lost to McCall and Rahman. Joshua was exposed and taken apart by Ruiz, and had no answer (and seemingly no energy) as soon as he'd been knocked down the first time.
He admitted to McCracken in his corner that he was 'just looking to drop the bomb' [big right-hand] when McCracken was urging him to use the jab to keep Ruiz at bay and break him down, and Joshua even asked his corner 'what punch was it' that had put him down the first time. (.....he obviously never saw it!)
By the end he didn't want to know, was looking at his corner and the referee as though to say 'I've had enough', and seemed relieved and bizarrely happy after the defeat - I wonder if his heart is no longer in it? (he's talked for a while of his legacy and business-interests after boxing).
There will undoubtedly be a rematch and, while Joshua could obviously catch Ruiz with a couple of big shots, I reckon its likely that Ruiz will beat him again.
Certainly, Wilder (who is a poor boxer in terms of technique and skill but has the power) would blast Joshua out very quickly looking at Joshua's defence last night, while Fury would just school Joshua for 12 rounds and win easily on points.
In a way, I feel it serves Eddie Hearn right as he seems to have been treating Joshua as the golden goose, with many reports from other boxers/promoters of Hearn making 'low-ball' offers for opponents to fight Joshua. He needs to bow down to others' demands now, if Joshua is to get the real top fights that Hearn should have been making for the last year or so.
We'll see in the next 12 months or so if Joshua still has the desire to be no.1
I hope so.
Well summed up KK.
It was a shock/embarrassing to see such lack of desire from A.J. I agree with you that Ruiz will win the rematch. A.J. lived on the Klitchko win for far too long and Hearn was a master at milking his cash cow.
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Well summed up KK.
It was a shock/embarrassing to see such lack of desire from A.J. I agree with you that Ruiz will win the rematch. A.J. lived on the Klitchko win for far too long and Hearn was a master at milking his cash cow.