Are you surprised AJ quit?

[Ricky]

I've been one of Joshua's biggest critics on here for some time, but even I'm surprised he quit like that. Did you expect Joshua to go out on his shield in defence of his belts or did you think he had that kind of quit in him when the going got tough?

[oogiebe]

He looked like he made the decision on his own not to continue. He looked confused and dare I say, scared to re-engage. Hardly put up a fuss about the stoppage. I am very surprised on so many levels after that performance. He needs to take some time and consider his options, which should start with a new trainer and camp, and maybe a new promotional company. It's all up to him at this point. I think he can come back. I've seen him on better nights where he looked like the #1 HW in the world, and I've seen him look vulnerable. My biggest surprise is that I didn't think it would be Ruiz to expose all AJ's flaws.

[danconnollyeire]

He looked like he made the decision on his own not to continue. He looked confused and dare I say, scared to re-engage. Hardly put up a fuss about the stoppage. I am very surprised on so many levels after that performance. He needs to take some time and consider his options, which should start with a new trainer and camp, and maybe a new promotional company. It's all up to him at this point. I think he can come back. I've seen him on better nights where he looked like the #1 HW in the world, and I've seen him look vulnerable. My biggest surprise is that I didn't think it would be Ruiz to expose all AJ's flaws.

I agree with this. He wasn’t at all fighting back. Didn’t want it anymore. When Frazier got floored 790 times by foreman, at least everytime he got back up, he swing at big George and go for it. Would’ve died before quitting, had the ref not saved him more punishment

[oogiebe]

I agree with this. He wasn’t at all fighting back. Didn’t want it anymore. When Frazier got floored 790 times by foreman, at least everytime he got back up, he swing at big George and go for it. Would’ve died before quitting, had the ref not saved him more punishment

Great comp! Frazier never EVER gave up.

[KiwiRider]

I was more surprised at his lack of stamina. He knew Ruiz would set a fast pace. He came in light against a similar fighter in Parker- why then did he falter so soon?

[oogiebe]

I was more surprised at his lack of stamina. He knew Ruiz would set a fast pace. He came in light against a similar fighter in Parker- why then did he falter so soon?

It boggles the mind. He was gassed in three rounds. He spit his mouth guard out in order to suck in more air. It was amazing to see.

[KiwiRider]

It boggles the mind. He was gassed in three rounds. He spit his mouth guard out in order to suck in more air. It was amazing to see.

I'm guessing the historical heavyweight scenario of too much highlife and not taking perceived lesser opponents seriously.

[oogiebe]

I'm guessing the historical heavyweight scenario of too much highlife and not taking perceived lesser opponents seriously.

If he got caught with a big blow and got KTFO, I'd agree, but he really looked horrible. It was seven rounds of getting beat up and looking like utter crap. He and his camp can't be that stupid to look past an opponent like that. They are too business like.

[KiwiRider]

If he got caught with a big blow and got KTFO, I'd agree, but he really looked horrible. It was seven rounds of getting beat up and looking like utter crap. He and his camp can't be that stupid to look past an opponent like that. They are too business like.

Late replacement syndrome?
Takem did way better against AJ than he should have.

[oogiebe]

Late replacement syndrome?
Takem did way better against AJ than he should have.

This was nothing like the Takam fight. AJ really got exposed. Ruiz a decent fighter, but AJ got kd four times and hurt by less than solid contact. Those temple shots and body shots really hurt him. He also didn't seem to have a game plan, which is the part of the fight that Ruiz excelled. something didn't look right to me. And remember, I've never been an AJ fan so not looking for excuses. He panicked out there. He's usually the patient fighter making adjustments during the fight and taking out his opponent at the right time. Maybe he wanted to out do Wilder's sensational KO of Breazeale? I just don't get it.

[TheGman]

I was defo surprised,Klitschko went out on his shield more than once,lets face it Joshua will never be the same again after this,he is suspect and i feel abit of Victor Ortiz about him now. Eddie Hearn has fcked over the casual british boxing fan and the "i only watch the big fight" fan for too long now and this might bite him on the arse

[Nightmare Roy]

I’m not sure if he quit or if he was that concussed from that first temple shot that he didn’t have a clue what was going on.

[Covfefe]

I was defo surprised,Klitschko went out on his shield more than once,lets face it Joshua will never be the same again after this,he is suspect and i feel abit of Victor Ortiz about him now. Eddie Hearn has fcked over the casual british boxing fan and the "i only watch the big fight" fan for too long now and this might bite him on the arse

A bit dramatic.

[ironbeard]

This was nothing like the Takam fight. AJ really got exposed. Ruiz a decent fighter, but AJ got kd four times and hurt by less than solid contact. Those temple shots and body shots really hurt him. He also didn't seem to have a game plan, which is the part of the fight that Ruiz excelled. something didn't look right to me. And remember, I've never been an AJ fan so not looking for excuses. He panicked out there. He's usually the patient fighter making adjustments during the fight and taking out his opponent at the right time. Maybe he wanted to out do Wilder's sensational KO of Breazeale? I just don't get it.

Less than solid contact? That is some cavalier sh!t right there. Or, you seriously are in need of a visit to a good ophthalmologist.

[MightyWarrior]

He didn’t quit.

Ref asked him if he wanted to continue and he nods and says yes.

But was so disorientated ( and had been for 5 rounds ) he didn’t grasp the ref wanted him to step towards him.

You can see he’s shocked when he sees the ref is stopping it...rightly so

[tobyh5]

I have always felt that he was an elite athlete who has been taught to box but is not a natural born fighter. Cosseted away in Sheffield with guys with clipboards timing his runs, testing his Vo2 max, weighing his chicken, making him sleep with masks on etc (ok, all of that is not what I mean but you know what I mean, very Drago-esq) while real fighters are travelling the world's gyms, sparring and getting blood, sh1t and sweat splattered on walls and learning how to fight.

I also said he had a poor chin and worse, an exceptionally slow recovery rate and like he walks through quicksand for a few rounds after stunned BUT, something was clearly not right at that fight. On the way in to the ring he looked listless and like he did not want to be there. Then when introduced, instead of bouncing around he was stood in the corner leaning against the ropes. Odd as fck

[SticknMove]

How he treats the return will answer the many questions around AJ.

I like his laid back persona. But it looked like there is no real fire there you would expect at that level.

All credit to Ruiz took advantage of a lacklustre performance after hitting the deck. Anyone mention the big right hand he took a shortly after he got up.

Josh will really have to think whether he's a significant champion and do a Lennox Lewis or just fade away. It's a tough game especially at that level.

[coneye]

I have always felt that he was an elite athlete who has been taught to box but is not a natural born fighter. Cosseted away in Sheffield with guys with clipboards timing his runs, testing his Vo2 max, weighing his chicken, making him sleep with masks on etc (ok, all of that is not what I mean but you know what I mean, very Drago-esq) while real fighters are travelling the world's gyms, sparring and getting blood, sh1t and sweat splattered on walls and learning how to fight.

I also said he had a poor chin and worse, an exceptionally slow recovery rate and like he walks through quicksand for a few rounds after stunned BUT, something was clearly not right at that fight. On the way in to the ring he looked listless and like he did not want to be there. Then when introduced, instead of bouncing around he was stood in the corner leaning against the ropes. Odd as fck

Good post , Agree 100% , I think he really needs to get away from shefield and get in a proper gym , where he's gonna have to practice footwork and punching instead of rowing machines and yes men , paid good salarys to implement there science bullshit , Ruiz , shown a chisseled adonis body , is tooooo slow , when he slipped , parried and countered every thing he threw

Too be honest it really gives me the shits when i look at AJ and his stamina , i think its a real piss take and a slap in the face to all the THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of young boxers all over the world who go in the gym , AFTER WORK and spar 6 rnds at a high pace , then go hit the bag after , and do there drills , not to mention the warmups before training starts , and here we have this guy , with a building full of sports scientists, nutritionalists , so called top trainers , and he can't do 5 rnds without gassing , its a piss take too be honest

[tonyevs]

It boggles the mind. He was gassed in three rounds. He spit his mouth guard out in order to suck in more air. It was amazing to see.

Fear and anxiety can make you tire. The new level of pressure on him fighting in the USA. Finding himself unable to physically dominate the little fat fella in front of him - then he gets hurt and dropped twice by him - and the realisation that he didnt have the skills to turn it around.

Fear of embarrassment is often greater than the fear of actually getting physically hurt.
In the return he will be the heavy favourite again, and I am not sure he is mentally strong enough to cope again if things get tough.

[3132DW]

Fear and anxiety can make you tire. The new level of pressure on him fighting in the USA. Finding himself unable to physically dominate the little fat fella in front of him - then he gets hurt and dropped twice by him - and the realisation that he didnt have the skills to turn it around.

Fear of embarrassment is often greater than the fear of actually getting physically hurt.
In the return he will be the heavy favourite again, and I am not sure he is mentally strong enough to cope again if things get tough.

Sat was his 22nd fight - but has he fought enough either ?

He became a 2 fight a year fighter quickly and that has a lot of inactivity - coupled with all his business/out ring endorsements - has he lost art of fighting with all the other stuff and not being in the ring so to speak.

[straali]

AJ at the weekend looked to me like someone affected by David Price syndrome.....looked gassed very early and seemed disorientated mentally. Price's problems often attributed to burning up lots of nervous energy.

[JimStone]

Joshua quitting was the only surprise to me. I thought he'd win but didn't think it was a gimme. It was clear to see how Ruiz could beat him but I had Joshua pinned as the type who'd go out on his shield.

[handsofstone]

Ive seen a lot of people say he quit, I disagree, he said he wanted to continue, you can hear it, maybe his body language was saying different but he was still hurt, maybe concussed, that's not quitting in my book

Rigondeaux and Walters quit against Lomachenko, Davies quit against Taylor, Golota quit against Tyson, Joshua was just too fccked to give a confident answer

I knew Joshua wasn't everyones cup of tea but cant believe the sh1t that's been flung at him since Saturday, just as well social media wasn't around when the likes of Louis, Holmes and Lewis reigned supreme, those guys would never get the credit they deserve, Louis and Holmes used to get wobbled/dropped in every other fight

[Coco]

Fear and anxiety can make you tire. The new level of pressure on him fighting in the USA. Finding himself unable to physically dominate the little fat fella in front of him - then he gets hurt and dropped twice by him - and the realisation that he didnt have the skills to turn it around.

Fear of embarrassment is often greater than the fear of actually getting physically hurt.
In the return he will be the heavy favourite again, and I am not sure he is mentally strong enough to cope again if things get tough.

Nervous energy is a killer, also getting smacked hard in the face

[youngrell]

I've always had Joshua pegged as a bit of a bully. He's had everything his own way from his very first fight (even the Olympics, really) and has often got away with dirty stuff like punching after the bell and on the break, particularly when he's been hurt himself.

He talks as a good sportsman but his actions usually prove otherwise. He even laid a dig on Ruiz on a break on Saturday and got reprimanded by the ref a lot more than he's used to in Britain, and I'm sure he probably would have got away with his delaying tactics at the stoppage if the fight was at home too.

That being said, given how he roared back vs Wlad it was a surprise to see him duck out on Saturday with a bit of a whimper. Maybe life has got a bit too comfortable for him and his heart is no longer in it as much, which is understandable.