Anthony Joshua says Topuria loss made him rethink career

Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua says watching Ilia Topuria lose to Justin Gaethje at UFC White House forced him to reevaluate his approach to the sport.

Gaethje upset Topuria in a four-round stoppage to claim the undisputed lightweight title on June 14, ending the Spaniard's undefeated streak. The result had an unexpected impact on Joshua, who told Combat Evolved the loss reminded him how unforgiving combat sports can be. "It's not all fun and games. It's a serious, serious, serious job," Joshua said, per MMA Fighting. "When I watched that Ilia Topuria fight and Justin Gaethje, I stopped replying to people after that, because I said, 'It's not a joke.'"

Joshua's own upset loss shaped his view

Joshua suffered a similar shock defeat in 2019 when Andy Ruiz Jr. stopped him to claim his unified heavyweight titles. Despite that experience, the two-time champion said Topuria's downfall was jarring enough to make him cut distractions. "You saw his face, what he went through," Joshua said. "It's not a joke, man." He added that he wants to surround himself only with people focused on fighting, not those drawn to the spectacle. "I want to create a little army of soldiers who just love fighting," he said.

Joshua next faces Kristian Prenga on July 25 in a tune-up bout before his planned showdown with Tyson Fury later this year.

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Morning Report | Anthony Joshua says Ilia Topuria losing to Justin Gaethje made him rethink his own career: ‘The fight game is serious’ | MMA Fighting