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Michael 'Venom' Page once dissected the factors behind Anthony Joshua's surprising defeat.
Despite being acknowledged as one of the premier heavyweight boxers in the modern era and a two-time former unified world champion, 'AJ' saw his illustrious reign crumble when he encountered an unexpected defeat against the 25 to 1 underdog Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019.
Ruiz Jr. delivered one of the most stunning upsets in heavyweight championship history by securing a seventh-round technical knockout against Joshua. 'Destroyer', who was a late replacement opponent given just five weeks' notice, showcased remarkable resilience.
Despite himself being floored in the third round, Ruiz Jr. rallied to knock Joshua down twice before the end of the round. In the seventh round, the American sent the then-undefeated champion to the canvas for a third and fourth time, prompting the referee to halt the bout at the 1:27 mark.
Following his compatriot's loss, Page broke down Joshua's defeat in a column written for Metro.co.uk in 2019. 'Venom' suggested that 'AJ' should focus on utilizing his reach advantage, maintaining distance with a strong jab, rather than engaging in close-range brawls, which led to his first career loss:
"I’ve said it for a long time, AJ likes a scrap, but he’s not got that one-punch sleeper. He should never be fighting like a Mike Tyson, and he should be fighting like a Lennox Lewis – nice and long, hiding behind the jab and searching behind for the right hand. AJ likes to square off with people and that’s always been my worry with him. He’s a great athlete, but he’s very basic in boxing ability."
Joshua redeemed his loss against 'Destroyer' in a rematch held in December of the same year with a decisive victory via unanimous decision.
Anthony Joshua commends Francis Ngannou following KO triumph
Anthony Joshua delivered a jaw-dropping knockout to Francis Ngannou in the second round, unleashing a vicious right hand that connected with the former UFC heavyweight champion's chin and left him unconscious on Friday (March 8) night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
During the post-fight press conference, Anthony Joshua delivered an encouraging message to Ngannou and urged him to continue competing in the squared circle:
"Don’t let this discourage you. Don’t let success get to your head, and you should never let failures get to your heart. I think he’s an asset to boxing. I think he’s an asset to the fight game. Don’t be discouraged, and I respect you regardless. I said it before, and I still stand on it. I know we had to fight, but I just told him, ‘Keep your head high.'"
Check out Anthony Joshua's comments below (8:55):
