- Anthony Joshua said, the responsibilities of being world champion are difficult
Unified World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (AJ) has revealed the main reason he lost his first match against Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019.
AJ who reclaimed his belts from Ruiz on Saturday, December 7, 2019 in Saudi Arabia said a health issue left him “tired” and “drained” in the build-up to his June defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr.
Ruiz, an underdog had beaten Joshua during the June clash, leading to conspiracy theories circulating, one of the biggest shocks in heavyweight history.
“I had some issue with my health which I was going through for a long time,” BBC quoted Joshua as saying.
“I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I felt so tired and drained and thought it must be down to training.
“In the changing room before the fight, I got a bucket of ice and was putting my head in it thinking ‘why do I feel so tired?’
Responsibilities of being world champion
According to Joshua, the responsibilities of being world champion are difficult. All that stuff, feeling so tired, dealing with obligations.
“Now I have energy, I haven’t missed a session.”
“After my check-ups it showed what the problem was and this is what you have to get sorted.
“Even in this camp I had an operation done but as I’d started training in June I had no issues.”
Joshua, who didn’t mention what the operation was but it is understood the procedure he had was linked to the issue diagnosed after his defeat by Ruiz.
The June bout was his first ever career defeat.