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

[a.rihn]

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.

[The plunger man]

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.

[The Big Dunn]

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.

[Marchegiano]

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 .

Hey ya *****-***, I thought you were meant to be sonning me? Where's the fam at son? Where's the harassment at boy-o? Done lost steam did you?

****ing goofy ass cornball, I'll get banned for ****ing with you before you ever see me kowtow to such an insufferable *****. ya pu$$y

[FinitoxDinamita]

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.

[boliodogs]

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.

[a.rihn]

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.)