Eddie Hearn Recalls Being Confronted By AJ’s Father – ‘Never Been So Scared’

Eddie Hearn has recalled Anthony Joshua’s father, Robert Joshua, accosting him in the aftermath of the Brit’s loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. 

In what was Joshua’s American debut at Madison Square Garden, New York, the boxing community witnessed a huge upset as Joshua suffered a seventh-round TKO loss.

And in doing so, Ruiz became the new unified heavyweight champion. While Joshua would go on to avenge his loss and reclaim the belts, Joshua’s father was not best pleased.

The latter went on to question Joshua’s, then, trainer Rob McCracken. Thereafter, the attention turned towards Hearn.

“AJ lost in New York and we got in the ring and his dad came straight over to me. He said, ‘Why was he staying in that place?’ And I was just [speechless].

“I don’t know, obviously it’s very emotional watching your son get beat. He went to the trainer first, then he went to me and I’ve honestly never been so scared in my life.

“He’s an absolute unit of a guy and the entire world is watching,” Hearn

But ever since that moment, Joshua’s fighting style has not been the same. The boxer has chosen to box and move behind his jab, rather than focusing on the explosive combinations that he had become so well-known for. 

And this was most notably seen when Joshua beat Jermaine Franklin by decision in a bout where many had expected the Brit to stop the American.

However, if Joshua does end up meeting Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia, the boxer may have to adopt his style against the hardest-hitting heavyweight in the division. 

This is especially since Wilder’s coach, Malik Scott, has sent an ominous message about any such fight. His following comments confirmed as much.

“I wouldn’t put AJ at the top of the list but you still have to give him credit in the top three to five in the heavyweight division.

“He has a huge market, he’s a good fighter, nobody puts punches together like Anthony Joshua. But I believe Deontay Wilder knocks him out in three rounds,” Scott

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