This thing happened, but no excuses.

[Articulateboxin]

I feel like this line is almost mandatory, immediately after a loss, for so many boxers. My youtube recommended is filled with "Ruiz: I partied too hard, but no excuses" "We had an injury, but no excuses" "i didn't train hard enough, but no excuses"

I think it's bothering me more this time because AJ was given so many conspiracy theories he could have clung to and use as a way of explaining his defeat. Instead, he just said the better man won. He was training hard, motivated, came in shape and he just lost. Now anyone who has seen AJs vs Ruiz 1, will likely agree he looked freaking odd on the ring walk and prior to the first bell. However he said he was fine and just got on with it.

I have so much more respect for AJ after this. Nobody really believes the excuse stories anyway, even the ones that are probably true. You lost, take it, move on and learn from it.


Any other recent examples of boxers being magnanimous in defeat? I think Donaire seemed pretty humble and honest about his loss to Inoue too?

[W1LL]

AJ acted humble in defeat, and he deserves a lot of credit for taking his loss and coming back stronger. Ruiz's camp trying to make excuses is classless, but what do you expect from these fat bastards? They won the lottery with that punch high on AJ's head in New York. They'll be eating like kings off the back of that punch, way into 2020 and beyond. So who cares?

[Zaryu]

So many boxers and posters on here could learn so much about AJs character. I'm glad he has his titles back, he's a true ambassador of the sport and a true Champion.

[soul_survivor]

I've known AJ since we were both teens, I was just leaving the amateur game and he was just entering it. This is something I have mentioned a few times and I have always said, what you see is what you get. Yes AJ is probably a bit more.."street", for want of a better phrase away from camera but he is determined, wants to build a legacy, has not and does not want to duck anyone and is in all honesty, tired with media comparisons to Wilder and Fury. He no longer cares. He is doing his bit, earning way more than them and fighting better opponents.

However, I had lost touch with him and that group of people for over a year now and was not sure if AJ was playing the part that he had become so deeply involved in or if he really was giving Ruiz is his due and coming back better than ever....boy did he impress me. AJ has come of age as both a fighter and a man.

[Articulateboxin]

So many boxers and posters on here could learn so much about AJs character. I'm glad he has his titles back, he's a true ambassador of the sport and a true Champion.

Agreed! He's brought so much attention and revenue to the sport I absolutely love and all without sensationalist style headlines. I'd really like to see a unified champion and if for no other reason than hard work, AJ definitely deserves it. However I'm sure Wilder/Fury will have something to say about it