Anthony Joshua's heavyweight rival Joe Joyce has declared that the former world champion has "obviously changed" after suffering his first defeat back in 2019.
The two-time world heavyweight champion had been dropped by Wladimir Klitschko on his way to becoming unified champion, but had never lost a professional fight before facing Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden in the summer of 2019. He was put down multiple times before being stopped by Ruiz in a shocking defeat, and has gone 2-2 since.
Joshua did win his belts back from Ruiz in a slow-paced show of boxing skill when they rematched a few months later, and defended them once during the coronavirus lockdown era against Kubrat Pulev. But he was defeated in September of 2021 by former undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk in two underwhelming outings.
“He’s not gunshy, but he’s apprehensive about being knocked out because he’s been knocked out a few times," Joyce explained to iD Boxing. "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. In the Dillian Whyte fight, he was getting hit with big shots; he was wobbling on his feet but was still coming forward.
"Something obviously changed after the Ruiz loss. I’d like to fight him as well, so. We're still yet to see, and I don't think it will happen with, [Tyson] Fury. I don't even think he'll want to fight me even though he's knocked me out in one round or stopped me in one round in the amateurs, what's he afraid of?"
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Joshua is expected to return to action in April, with promoter Eddie Hearn insisting that he will gradually move back through the levels with three fights this year. However, the likelihood that they look to do a Joshua vs Joyce fight appears slim given that he is promoted by Hearn's nemesis Frank Warren.
Joyce has established himself as one of the most exciting heavyweights in the world over the last year, particularly after viciously knocking out Joseph Parker in September. He is the interim WBO champion, making him the top contender for Oleksandr Usyk's unified titles which will be put on the line in an undisputed title fight against Tyson Fury later this year.
The heavyweight division looks set to have its first undisputed champion crowned in March when Fury faces Usyk for all of the belts. Regardless of the winner, Joyce will have a claim to one of the first shots at the gold given his status as a mandatory challenger, with Fury already declaring that he wants to fight him later this year.
