This much is certain: After the most humiliating experience of his professional boxing career, Anthony Joshua is talking as if his confidence is intact.
The British heavyweight looks to regain his title belts from cherubic Andy Ruiz Jr., the current poster child for the proverbial underdog, on Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia on DAZN. Ruiz stopped Joshua in the seventh round in June, an achievement that ranks among one of the early century’s most improbable upsets.
That’s all anyone has been able to talk about over the past few months, much to Joshua’s noticeable chagrin.
“I’m gonna whoop him, show (Ruiz) how great I am,” Joshua told Sky Sports in a recent interview. “If they think he’s that great, if I beat him, I want everyone to bow to my feet and tell me how great I am.”
That’s all Joshua used to hear, how great he is. Now? The conversation is about his shaky chin, how he went down to defeat meekly, how he was never as good as hyped, how he must win on Dec. 7 to save his career. Above all, the last few months have been a constant reminder of the prowess of the Mexican-American from the Imperial Valley, flabby waist and all.
That’s a massive shift in the boxing discourse. That’s why Joshua is adamant that when he defeats Ruiz, he wants everyone to kiss his feet.
“I couldn’t beat Andy Ruiz before and get the credit I deserved,” Joshua said. “I wasn’t fighting King Kong was I? … Now apparently I am fighting the quickest hands and the best fighter in the division. Once I beat him, I want everyone to bow to me.”
Just like they used to do.