Did Andy Ruiz ruin Anthony Joshua?

[QueensburyRules]

AJ was flying high and the next big thing. He was going to make his triumphant debut on American soil at the fabled Madison Square Garden...and that night is when the wheels fell off.

Seems to me he hasn't been the same since.

- - After making Blubber and Deyoncé duck record purses to fight each other for peanuts, he can be excused considering he continues to fight the best who will fight him like Usyk.

U going to Blubber/Charrleene fight?

[ShoulderRoll]

- - After making Blubber and Deyoncé duck record purses to fight each other for peanuts, he can be excused considering he continues to fight the best who will fight him like Usyk.

U going to Blubber/Charrleene fight?

He continues to lose to smaller heavyweights, you mean.

[Silence]

Is this even a question? He f*ked up his entire offensive style. He turned him into sissy boxer.

[lopetego]

If he hadn't gotten stopped by Andy maybe he would be more aggressive and wouldn't have become confused about what style he should fight with.

I saw him try to get aggressive in the Ruiz rematch but then backed off when Andy returned fire. It's like his psyche permanently changed.

Yeah, that was embarrassing to watch

Joshua should've made a statement, it was his rematch against the guy that stopped him and took his belts

instead, he won the fight in cowardly fashion, satisfied with jabbing the inmobile blob for the whole fight

that match showed Joshua is now a mentally broken man

Ruiz definetly took something out of him, mentally if not physically

[BodiesInFlight]

Probably, it’s been a process though

he started getting slightly more timid over time since Wlad almost put his lights out, there was definitely a change in him after that. He still had a few good wins after against bums and old men. When he fought Parker he was showing signs of not wanting to engage like he used to. In my opinion, that fight would’ve been interesting if the ref let Parker fight.

the ref helped him out in the Takam fight too. AJ had a bust nose and was panicking and gassing. He missed a 3 punching combination with air shots and the ref jumped in. He was getting distressed in that fight once his nose was bleeding.

But certainly there was a much bigger change after the Ruiz fight.

He was pounding Takam bad with Takam retreating is my memory of that fight. His busted nose affected his breathing. I don't think it was panic.

I agree he hasn't been the same since Wlad though

[ShoulderRoll]

I think at this point the answer has to be a definite yes.

Very lukewarm and tepid performance today against Franklin.

[TheIronMike]

AJ's been fighting like a pu$$y since Takam

[famicommander]

The ghost of Wladimir Klitschko did. He had Joshua on dream street, he was just too old and washed to finish him off. But ever since then Joshua has fought scared, even against guys who can't punch like Pulev.

[Sheikh]

Yes. After ruiz fights too cautious now. It didn't suit his style he is a puncher not boxer

[Toffee]

I don't think anyone would disagree, but he still could've redeemed himself in the rematch, but absolutely fought scared against Fat Andy who didn't even bother training and just ate pizzas. Hearn and his PR team had Brit casuals believing that Joshua had turned into a masterful boxer by skillfully staying on the outside, but in reality Ruiz jr was an immobile blob, any semi fit HW on that day could've done what Joshua did. Joshua's chin was cracked by Wlad, but was totally shattered by Ruiz jr, and they can't glue it back.

I'll disagree. No version of Ruiz beats the Joshua who showed up in the rematch. Winning is all that matters in title fights. Yes, Joshua was also a heck of a lot more professional in the build up but that's to his credit and Ruiz' detriment. Ruiz isn't the first new champion to go on a bender. At least he got back in the ring to lose his belts.

Joshua played with fire throughout the bulk of his career... and eventually got burnt by a guy who shouldn't have had the chance.

Joshua's understanding of risk improved. Culminating in two great fights against Usyk where he was impressive but overmatched.

Tonight was crap and wasn't the night to be overly cautious but he's finding a balance. Fighters who go into their late 30s have to have some kind of caution and understand how to get the win.

The Joshua who fought Ruiz the first time might as well retire at 33. The resulting Joshua can fight on and he'll be in and around things.