Joe Joyce says Anthony Joshua has “changed” since Ruiz loss

By Boxing News - 01/05/2023 - Comments

By Charles Brun: Joe Joyce believes Anthony Joshua is a different fighter now since his loss to Andy Ruiz Jr back in June 2019.

Joshua would be better off fighting the way he did pre-Ruiz, where he would go all out from the opening bell, willing to risk gassing out or getting stopped.

From 2013 to 2019, Joshua fought like he was still in three-round amateur bouts, and that worked for him because few fighters could stand up to his power.

Although the former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) can still punch and isn’t afraid to let his hands go, he’s cautious now, fighting on the back foot, says Joyce.

The knockout loss to the chubby Ruiz altered Joshua’s manner of fighting, resulting in him morphing into a Wladimir Klitschko style, which is cautious and seemingly fearful of getting hit with anything.

According to Joyce, AJ’s rematch with Dillian Whyte this year will show the difference because that’s a contest that Joshua will need to fight aggressively if he’s to win.

The 34-year-old Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs) is a wholly shot fighter at this point of his twelve-year professional career, but he can still punch, and he fights with mean intentions.

If Joshua can’t come forward and fight aggressively, as he did in their first fight in 2015, he will get knocked out.

“He’s not gunshy, but he’s apprehensive about being knocked out because he’s been knocked out a few times. He prefers to be on the back foot and out of danger. It will tell when we see the rematch with him and Dillian Whyte,” said Joe Joyce to iD Boxing about Anthony Joshua being cautious since his stoppage loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in their first fight in June 2019.

“In the Dillian Whyte fight, he was getting hit with big shots; he was wobbling on his feet but was still coming forward,” Joyce continued. “Something obviously changed after the Ruiz loss. I’d like to fight him.”

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Joshua will need to change the way he fights to return to the fighter that he once was if he wants to regain the success that he had earlier in his career.

If I were Joe Joyce, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Joshua to fight him because it will not happen in this lifetime. I dare say that even if Joyce captures a world title or two, Joshua still won’t fight him because he’s all wrong for him on several levels.

Why Joshua won’t fight Joyce:

  • Excellent punch resistance
  • Pushes too fast of a pace
  • Good power
  • Lack of popularity worldwide