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

[Nash out]

Anthony Joshua was one of Boxing's biggest Faces, if not, at one point, the biggest. The fans always supported him and tremendous wins over the likes of Wlad, prime Dillian Whyte, Povetkin, Pulev, and Matt Legg saw him become a hero of Sport. However in August, 2022, Face Anthony Joshua, turned heel after his rematch loss to fellow Face Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua's heel turn was a thing of beauty, of cringe, and of legend, as he threw what were now Usyk's belts out of the ring. Fans were stunned at the biggest Sporting heel turn since Hollywood Hogan in WCW in 1996, and the biggest in Boxing History.

Joshua's first heel turn speech.

"If you knew my story you would understand the passion."

"I ain't no amateur boxer from five-years-old that was an elite prospect from youth. I was going to jail, I got bail and I started training my arse off, I wanted to be able to fight.

"I'm stealing this Usyk, I'm sorry, but it's because of the passion we put into this.

"This guy to beat me tonight, maybe I could have done better, but it shows the level of hard work I put in so please give him a round of applause as our heavyweight champion of the world.

"I'm not a 12-round fighter, look at me, I'm a new breed of heavyweights."

"Mike Tyson, Sonny Liston, Jack Dempsey, 'you don't throw combinations like Rocky Marciano', cos I'm not f****** 14 stone that's why!

"I'm 18 stone, I'm heavy, it's hard work. This guy here is a phenomenal talent, we're going to cheer for him three times.

"How many belts you got now bro, five?"

Joshua then leads a series of "hip hip hoorays" before continuing with his lengthy speech to those in the stadium.

He went on to add: "I was studying Ukraine and all the amazing champions who have come from you're amazing country bro.

"I've never been there - but at the same time what's happening there is - I don't know what's happening there - but it's not nice at the end of the day.

"I've seen it with Lomachenko in his second fight with Orlando, there was unrest in Ukraine - right or wrong? There was issues, there was civil war.

"Vitali Klitschko when he faced Danny Williams - civil unrest. Usyk, as a champion, please raise your hands [because] under those circumstances he managed to become champion.

"Champ champ! Champ champ! Champ champ!

"Bismillah [in the name of God]."

The latest chapter for Heel Joshua, is telling Face Dubois, in a very patronising manner, to "Relax" before Dubois relaxed Joshua with a spot on the canvas, beating the heel, before asking the crowd "Are you not entertained?"

Nash out - His Majesty

[famicommander]

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

[t_dirtydizzawg]

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.

[Nash out]

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

[Nash out]

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

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

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.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

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

[Nash out]

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.

Yes, definitely. Great heel turns also. Nash out - His Majesty

[Willow The Wisp]

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

[PRINCEKOOL]

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.