Now that AJ redeemed himself how will his loss still affect legacy?

I disagree that being undefeated is a marketing gimmick. While I understand your point, IMO it is misguided when applying to AJ. I was being unclear, and you make all good points. For what it's worth (without trying to derail the conversation here), I was thinking about being undefeated generally, for many fighters (not specific to AJ). It seems to be a post-Mayweather thing, that everyone's record gets compared to his, with this (usually unspoken) notion that only an undefeated champ is the only TRUE champion. Or to put it another way, that any loss automatically negates your standing as champion ("he's a champion, but . . ."). I see it when people want to take down Loma - he had one early loss so he can't be that great. And the undefeated-hype on Aj, and Fury, and Wilder. (And sidebar, in MMA, it was the same for McGregor and Rousey.)

A loss is loss especially a ko loss but he did take that L back. Lewis did the same and is praised for doing so so how does this affect him in long run.I don't think AJ is as good as I thought he was before the loss. He promised a revenge beat down and KO of Ruiz and instead he fought very cautiously and carefully outboxed him at long range and took as few risks as possible. His chin is not as good as I thought it was before I saw Ruiz stop him and it seems like he gave up in the loss to Ruiz. In the Ruiz win he boxed well but did not fight like a warrior or seem tough. I used to think he was the best heavyweight in the world but I am not sure he is the best now and would not be surprised to see him lose again against one of the other top guys. As for Lewis I think those losses hurt him. It's great he avenged those losses but he never should have lost to them in the first place.

Win is a win but Joshua looked kinda pathetic in doing so. My uncle who is a regular fight fan saw that rematch and he was like.... you call that revenge? Lol Joshua fought scared, clinching and unsure of himself etc... i picked him to win and im glad he won me some change but i was far from impressed. It’s kinda like Margarito-Cotto 2.... Ricans are so proud of that victory lmfao when infact Cotto fought like a ho and got gifted. It’s still 1-1 and there is unfinished business as far as im concerned. Ruiz knocked him out yet he couldnt return the favor in a rematch. He barely hung on and won but still........ It’s too early to say what happens to his lgeacy. We need to see how he looks in his next few fights.

I'm usually quick to strike down Ali - Joshua comparisons, but in this case -- considering a champ who has losses on his record -- Ali's legacy is very apt. He has multiple losses, but those losses don't negate his greatness. He came back and came back stronger. The current obsession on "unbeaten" champs feels so forced, so unlike life. Of course a "0" loss can be a great thing, but that 0 doesn't define greatness. Its largely a marketing gimmick, a manufactured stand-in for greatness. All that to say - I'll take a great fighter with a few losses on his record over a mediocre fighter with a "perfect" record any day. I disagree that being undefeated is a marketing gimmick. While I understand your point, IMO it is misguided when applying to AJ. AJ should've defeated Ruiz. He didn't. That loss should affect how we see him because truly great fighters tend not to lose in their primes to mediocre, middle tier opposition. Ali lost to Frazier, who is an ATG HWT and HOF fighter. AJ lost to a journeyman. If a fighter takes losses to HOF level opposition then the losses don't mean as much. However, if those losses are against people he should've defeated, it's only fair that you hold those losses against that fighter when comparing them to other great fighters who beat all the people they faced. If AJ does like Ali and beats top tier guys, including winning fights he isn't favored in, then that will mitigate the Ruiz loss. I think what youre getting at is AJ has a better resume than wilder. I agree. That said, AJ's loss to Ruiz was not IMO a "good" loss.

It didn’t affect Louis , Robinson , Lewis, Duran , Chavez , Pacquiao and if Joshua continues with improvement then it won’t affect him. Joshua took his defeat better than any fighter I have ever seen and that alone will stand him in good stead for the future. Joshua will still beat wilder and fury and when he does that then he will have fully laid that defeat to rest. Wilder lost to a fighter who’s last fight was going tooth and nail with a boxer ranked 35th in the world.

If he goes on to soundly defeat the top guys, like Ali did after he lost to Frazier, I think his career will be judged in the same light. I'm usually quick to strike down Ali - Joshua comparisons, but in this case -- considering a champ who has losses on his record -- Ali's legacy is very apt. He has multiple losses, but those losses don't negate his greatness. He came back and came back stronger. The current obsession on "unbeaten" champs feels so forced, so unlike life. Of course a "0" loss can be a great thing, but that 0 doesn't define greatness. Its largely a marketing gimmick, a manufactured stand-in for greatness. All that to say - I'll take a great fighter with a few losses on his record over a mediocre fighter with a "perfect" record any day.

Lenox and Wlad were able to overcome their KO loses. It all depends what he does from here. I think he is still a very capable fighter.

Joshua didn't steal a title he avenged a loss. Wilder is a known fighter that stole a single belt last December,. 2x champion vs a guy whos holding another fighters belt,do the math on which one will be effected more if Wilder doesn't get a Win over Fury. the record books will show Joshua as only the 4 or 5th HW boxer to ever win an immediate rematch . Wilder will be known for ducking undisputed . Great going. First post and already talking about Wilder in a non-Wilder topic.

it will always be remembered but it all depends on how his career pans out, getting the titles back was a step in the right direction, if he continues to fight like he did in that fight I'm sure he will be criticized tho.

I think we need to see what he does with his career. If he becomes a predominantly European fighter and fights in a style that fans don’t find entertaining, I think you will see a very polarized opinion of his career, like we do with wlad. If he goes on to soundly defeat the top guys, like Ali did after he lost to Frazier, I think his career will be judged in the same light. Frankly, like him or not, if he beats wilder, fury, usyk, and Ortiz in the next 2 years, the loss will IMO be mitigated.

Joshua still is champion and while he’s active people will remember that he can be made passive. As far as his legacy, i don’t think it took a major hit. Twenty years down the line he’ll be remembered as a long reigning champ, but hardcore fans know he has a little yellow streak.

I don't know if he redeemed himself, he just beat a guy that he was supposed to beat the first time when he got ktfo.

It will only help to make more fights and keep others from ducking him. AJ winning the rematch showed that he is able to stick to a game plan in order to secure a W. If he can do this with Wilder he might have a chance, but if he does get caught with a right he'll be pushing daisies. Realisticly, I think if Ruiz can touch AJ then Wilder can also. Legacy wise I think he's doing great, but I do feel like he is starting to slip. That being said, I think he'll have to pull of some miracles to be able to mount a Wilder, Fury, or Usyk on his wall. If he can pull any of these off, them that should be enough to silent any haters and he could honestly retire from there. Especially if he holds that fight in SA again.

Unless Ruiz goes on to beat some good fighters it will always come up. That said, most of the legacy depends on the outcomes of Joshua vs Wilder and Joshua vs Fury. As mentioned Lennox lost a couple fluke fights but I still contend that when he was on his game he was as tough of a head to head match up as anyone in heavyweight history. Wlad lost and improved and dominated for years. How we remember any of the top three heavyweights is still up in the air.

A loss is loss especially a ko loss but he did take that L back. Lewis did the same and is praised for doing so so how does this affect him in long run. - -If you gotta ask, you don't deserve to know.

It would maybe be tarnished if the other big boys fought and beat ruiz easy but they havnt. It's nice telling us how easy wilder would have it against ruiz but he hasn't fought him. Ali had more than 1 defeat and he is still the highest regarded fighter of all time. I'd understand the big loss and the gentle win in the rematch if he hadn't already beaten better fighters than ruiz. I just think a certain section of pbc fans are still so massively frustrated that Joshua won his belts back.

Joshua has the chance now that he has tasted loss, to come back stronger and more determined, and prove his naysayers wrong. I don't think it is the loss that will determine his legacy, it is how he comes back from it.I think the immediate rematch was a good start even though it wasn't the most spectacular. Going forward, he has to win and win big against credible opposition, one man after another. That will lessen the impact of his loss against Ruiz.

A loss is loss especially a ko loss but he did take that L back. Lewis did the same and is praised for doing so so how does this affect him in long run. we need to wait and see what he does in the long run you're right, he could turn everything around... or... it is annoying to hear people criticize his win over Ruiz hard luck for Ruiz if he came in overweight he wasn't exactly a lightweight in the first fight either

I think it raised his popularity and he is much better known now. Winning the direct rematch sounds great when you hear it. When you go back and watch the 2 fights it will look worse than just hearing people talk about it. I think that Loss will overshadow the win with time because the AJ in the rematch looked scared to death. Ruiz gave him a nice gift by being too slow and not letting his hands go. I think the fear he showed in the rematch will continue to be there and he will end up losing quite a few more fights before he's done. He looks like he's done fighting in the pocket, therefore done going for knockouts, but I hope I'm wrong. Still waiting to hear what all his issues were before 1st fight, and if they are legit yes it will be easy to say that's why I got a beating, but not so easy to mentally recover from that beating.

Big difference. AJ was dominated and dropped 4 times by Ruiz. Rahman caught Lennox with 1 lucky punch and ended him. AJ is not anywhere near any all time list. Good Lord trolls.