Is Anthony Joshua the biggest Face turned Heel switch in Boxing history?

I never looked at AJ like he turned heel for doing that in the ring. Just thought it was a sore loser move in the moment with all the energy and adrenaline going through him. My thoughts about him being a positive/negative guy never really changed because of it. While there are not many fighters you could consider total good guy/hero images, I'd say a few maintained their normal image and maybe flipped around to a more darker side. As folks said, Margarito is a good example for good reason. Though prior to that, I never saw him as a "good" guy anyway. Current ODLH actually talks as if he's turned heel because he said on a podcast that everything you saw of him when he was younger was total BS that he was told to behave as to create the image. There was a lot of fake stories made up just for the headlines and who he is now was really who he always was. The media loves to create an image of someone, even if it's stretched/exaggerated. Look at Pacquiao post Hatton KO. You can literally see the camera man telling Pacquiao to get down and pray in the corner because they were marketing Pacquiao as this spiritual/religious guy and you had to love him for that aspect (despite punching and KOing folks?). Not sure that made much sense, but it probably worked to some end. For me, Mayorga was always the heel type of fighter. He smoked during his post fight interviews and wanted to let you know he was a bad motherf**ker. When he'd trash his opponents families at the press conferences, it was zero surprise. Mayweather turned heel purely financially. It was a fake turn, just to get folks to tune in to see him lose and get those PPV buys because he knew without that, nobody was tuning in. However a part of this quote applies to Mayweather, "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain". Mayweather deep down wishes folks in this country cheered him on and loved him, yet he never got that because he went deep on the villain arch. Now he's living what I see mostly from interviews, a post boxing bitter life. He's got the money, but probably wishes he had love and respect more from fans and this is something money can't buy him. I always enjoy your posts ELPacman. Nash out - His Majesty

I never looked at AJ like he turned heel for doing that in the ring. Just thought it was a sore loser move in the moment with all the energy and adrenaline going through him. My thoughts about him being a positive/negative guy never really changed because of it. While there are not many fighters you could consider total good guy/hero images, I'd say a few maintained their normal image and maybe flipped around to a more darker side. As folks said, Margarito is a good example for good reason. Though prior to that, I never saw him as a "good" guy anyway. Current ODLH actually talks as if he's turned heel because he said on a podcast that everything you saw of him when he was younger was total BS that he was told to behave as to create the image. There was a lot of fake stories made up just for the headlines and who he is now was really who he always was. The media loves to create an image of someone, even if it's stretched/exaggerated. Look at Pacquiao post Hatton KO. You can literally see the camera man telling Pacquiao to get down and pray in the corner because they were marketing Pacquiao as this spiritual/religious guy and you had to love him for that aspect (despite punching and KOing folks?). Not sure that made much sense, but it probably worked to some end. For me, Mayorga was always the heel type of fighter. He smoked during his post fight interviews and wanted to let you know he was a bad motherf**ker. When he'd trash his opponents families at the press conferences, it was zero surprise. Mayweather turned heel purely financially. It was a fake turn, just to get folks to tune in to see him lose and get those PPV buys because he knew without that, nobody was tuning in. However a part of this quote applies to Mayweather, "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain". Mayweather deep down wishes folks in this country cheered him on and loved him, yet he never got that because he went deep on the villain arch. Now he's living what I see mostly from interviews, a post boxing bitter life. He's got the money, but probably wishes he had love and respect more from fans and this is something money can't buy him.

He's the goat heel. He never been a face tho. More like a attitude era guy where he's both at the same time. Forrest Mosley Trinidad De la hoya Vargas Cotto He was the heel in them all Yeah he was that heel you rooted for. The same way Eddie would “lie, cheat, steal” yet the crowd loved it.

- - The Ring Belt governed by a bunch of wimpy sycophants deserved to get thrown out by AJ who was clearly the best heavy before Usyk...

Tyson is up there too, he was a beloved young kid in the 80’s and by the late 90’s and 00’s he was biting ears, committing **** and threatening to eat people’s children. I always thought Mayorga had a great face/heel dynamic. You could love him one minute and hate him the next. The Eddie Guerrero of boxing. :lol1: He's the goat heel. He never been a face tho. More like a attitude era guy where he's both at the same time. Forrest Mosley Trinidad De la hoya Vargas Cotto He was the heel in them all

floyd is the greatest heel turn of all time. Because he did it on purpose. It was a plan and it worked. Tyson heel turn was forced on him by the media. He started to give them what they write. And even then his true fans still seen him as a babyface. Even til this day Joshua heel turn came from the embarrassment of losing. He was tired of pretending to be a good guy. Eddie made him a face. But after those usyk losses, he turned heel and still got knocked out. So now he's just lost. Mayorga is the goat heel tho

His turn was from baby face to jobber.

No, Anthony Joshua nearly turned heel 'But for whatever reason he began to back track. Now? He has settled with how the general public perceive him. To be honest, I was disappointed Joshua did not turn into Dark Joshua'. People know that I have always referred to Tyson Fury as 'The Riddler' but? Also I have referred to him 'as the Prince of Thieves, he started out in the game as heel naturally' but then he became the hero, which in my opinion was not a title or role he was attempting to reach. It just happened, he was at the height of his hero arc when he beat Deontay Wilder II in their second fight out of the trilogy battle'. Note: Tyson Fury was the Prince of Thieves 'The Robin Hood of boxing, so? He was maybe a heel to many, but a hero to others who were inspired by him. But Tyson Fury at a certain stage of his career, started to become a hero in my opinion? To people who were once his critics, and extremely negative towards him and his culture. I personally witnessed this movement with certain sections of society'. You see? But giving credit to Tyson Fury 'He has always been aware that, many of his new supporters were very fickle. Opportunist, and they would soon turn against him when he no longer provided them ether with the right kind of entertainment or he stepped out of line. The line they marked out for him'. On the eve of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Uysk I 'Fury's level of prestige in the game was still extremely high. Yes he had upset many people with his antics, such as sabotaging fights vs Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Uysk. But one fact remained? To that point in Tyson Fury's career, whenever the Thunder and lightning struck and he was confronted with a mega challenge, he raised to the occasion. His clutch game was 95 to 100% solid'. Almost everyone with the boxing community, especially the hardcore boxing fans 'agreed that Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Uysk I, was only a intriguing fight because it was a contest for the Undisputed Heavyweight titles. Outside of that? The dynamic between the two fighter's characters was not perceived as magnetic, the narrative was also very uninteresting really beyond the fact that skill for skill Fury and Uysk were too great modern day heavyweight fighters'. This all dramatically altered 'When Tyson Fury turned heel 100%. I witnessed this while listening and watching TalkSport. Tyson Fury proceeded to just bombarded Oleksandr Uysk with heavy and serve abuse. And from that very moment? The fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Uysk I, even beyond the Undisputed titles became a mega event'. It was Tyson Fury who took it upon himself to create such a dynamic 'I actually pointed this out at the time, and told people on here that? Tyson Fury has turned himself into a heel, and this is one of the major reasons why this Undisputed title fight has individually even beyond the titles became a mega fight'. In recent times in the sport of boxing, or combat sports 'I have not witnessed anything on the level of Tyson Fury turning heel. Tyson Fury is The Riddler, the Prince of Thieves, he is not meant to be or does not want to be everyone's hero'. ​ In that respects Tyson Fury was similar to David Haye 'they are both fighters who are aware, that certain sections of the general public can be fickle, and opportunist'. Anthony Joshua is like a Superman type character 'For a long time he was saw himself as the people's hero. So he was offended and deeply upset when masses of people turned against him. The general public and the boxing community hold Anthony Joshua to a very high standard, whether he is a Champion or a contender he has been held to the highest standards of all professional boxers in past 15 years'. And Anthony Joshua himself holds himself to a very high standard of conduct 'He appears at times to be always holding back. Whether this is inside the boxing ring, or outside the ring. Very rarely in my opinion has he ever unleashed maximum level of his abilities and power'. Lets all think back to round 9, Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Uysk II 'That is the most consistently hurt, Uysk has ever been as a heavyweight fighter. It is the most clear round, any fighter has won against Uysk as a Heavyweight Champion. Uysk was stumbling all over the ring, and in the moment? Did not seem to have an answer for just the share power, skill and momentum of Anthony Joshua'. Oleksandr Uysk began to complain to the referee that Joshua was hitting him with low blows 'Anthony Joshua stops his assault, and almost apologetically nods and smiles at Oleksandr Uysk. This is what I mean? When I say, Joshua is always holding himself back. Always being careful not to unleash his full power, this is very reminiscent of Superman or even Batman'. To conclude: Anthony Joshua will beat his adversaries, but then he will be standing over them with his arm and hand reaching out 'To aid them back to their feet. That has been his greatest trait as a Champion, and it is also why? He has never truly turned into a heel' etc. ​

His slip started showing when he muttered some derogatory something or other about Americans while doing an outdoor faceoff with Dominic Breazeale.

Tyson is up there too, he was a beloved young kid in the 80’s and by the late 90’s and 00’s he was biting ears, committing **** and threatening to eat people’s children. I always thought Mayorga had a great face/heel dynamic. You could love him one minute and hate him the next. The Eddie Guerrero of boxing. :lol1: Yes, definitely. Great heel turns also. Nash out - His Majesty

Margarito was a great heel too. The build up to Cotto II was great.

Tyson is up there too, he was a beloved young kid in the 80’s and by the late 90’s and 00’s he was biting ears, committing rape and threatening to eat people’s children. I always thought Mayorga had a great face/heel dynamic. You could love him one minute and hate him the next. The Eddie Guerrero of boxing. :lol1:

Pretty sure all those fighters that got in trouble for domestic abuse, sexual assault, and murder had a bigger heel turn. Criminals like that are removed from the record books. Nash means more so in terms of like a heel turn in WWE/WWF/WCW, as lighthearted entertainment. Nash out - His Majesty

Pretty Boy Floyd to Money Mayweather? Does that not qualify as a "heel turn" as you call it? Call it what you will, but Floyd certainly profited more by becoming a "villain" of sorts. Yes, that's a great heel turn, but Joshua throwing the belts out of the ring was a tremendous heel move. Nash out - His Majesty

Pretty Boy Floyd to Money Mayweather? Does that not qualify as a "heel turn" as you call it? Call it what you will, but Floyd certainly profited more by becoming a "villain" of sorts.

Pretty sure all those fighters that got in trouble for domestic abuse, sexual assault, and murder had a bigger heel turn.