OPINION __ Anthony Joshua’s fall from grace complete: ‘They think he’s easy!
Anthony Joshua’s fall from grace in the heavyweight division has become a hot topic among boxing fans, with the former unified champion now openly targeted by YouTubers and retired fighters who never competed at heavyweight.
The two-time world titleholder, once viewed as the most dangerous man in the sport, has suffered four damaging defeats in recent years. The 35-year-old went down to Andy Ruiz Jr., lost twice via decision to Oleksandr Usyk, and most recently got battered by Daniel Dubois.
The run has sparked claims that Joshua is now a soft target for opportunistic challengers.
Why the Public Perception Has Shifted
Middleweight contender Denzel Bentley sparked the conversation after asking on social media: “Why is everyone onto Anthony Joshua?”
Fans were quick to respond, with one writing: “AJ put himself in that predicament. Losing to Ruiz ruined his reputation.
“That’s not because Ruiz is a bad boxer, but because he’s Butterbean 2.0. I doubt he’ll ever recover from that embarrassment unless he beats Fury and Usyk.”
Others argued that promoter Eddie Hearn’s matchmaking has played a part, with one user insisting: “Because Eddie created this. Fight a Top 10, AJ, I double dare you.
“Joshua is still mashed up from that Dubois beating.”
Another made it far blunter.
“They think he’s easy. I hope AJ gives them what they want.”
Bentley defended the Watford man, pointing out his resume: “AJ has probably fought the most Top 10 opponents in the division.”
The Reality of the ‘Biggest Fight’
But the reality is apparent that public perception has shifted. It’s a subject World Boxing News has brokered for years, stating Joshua didn’t have the goods Hearn was selling.
The way Hearn would laud the 2012 Olympic gold medalist as the next coming of Muhammad Ali didn’t sit right with many. However, it was WBN that consistently put that into honest reports on Joshua, rather than smoke-blowing appraisal pieces.
What was once the most marketable fight in boxing, Joshua vs. Tyson Fury, which Hearn still calls the ‘biggest fight in boxing,’ is now seen by some as a chance for ‘The Gypsy King’ to pick up an easy win.
The fact is that Fury vs Joshua is the biggest fight in the UK, but worldwide, there’s little interest in seeing the two trade blows.
They have the opportunity if they strike soon, as the United Kingdom still has the appetite for it, as proven with Eubank Jr. vs Benn.
The Dangers of Opportunistic Callouts
But when callouts from YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and Hall of Fame super-middleweight Andre Ward threaten to destroy what’s left of Joshua’s credibility, taking the fight off the shelf completely, as Fury has done, makes some sense.
Paul and Ward, who haven’t seen the heavyweight division in their careers, look at it as a meal ticket and don’t see the dangers that arose against Francis Ngannou.
Whether Joshua can turn the narrative around may depend on how quickly he returns to elite competition and if he can finally topple Fury before retirement calls.
Hearn believes his former star pupil could retire in 2026, but if he chooses to face Paul or Ward, he may as well retire right now.
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of Phil Jay.
