Another stoppage for Anthony Joshua in his rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr will spell the end of his boxing career, according to heavyweight rival Tyson Fury.
The world of boxing was stunned as superstar Joshua was sent to the canvas four times before being stopped in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden, despite being an overwhelming favourite against an unfancied fighter who was stepping as a replacement.
AJ will have the chance to avenge his loss and win his world titles back when he meets Ruiz Jr for a rematch in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, on December 7, with a huge potential unification against WBC champion Deontay Wilder on the cards for the winner in 2020.
But Fury, who became undisputed world champion by outpointing Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, believes AJ will call it a day if Ruiz gets another stoppage in their Clash on the Dunes, and feels that the Mexican fighter has the advantage because he already has the Brit’s number going into the bout.
‘If he gets knocked out twice in a row, I can’t see him continuing to be fair,’ he told the True Geordie Podcast.
‘Every man does what he wants to do but I think – he doesn’t need the money and two knockout losses is a shattering to your career.’
The 31-year-old, who has world title ambitions of his own with a rematch against Wilder scheduled for February, said he doesn’t rate Ruiz Jr too highly but feels he will prove to be Joshua’s ‘bogeyman’.
‘I don’t think that Ruiz Jr is too good, but my opinion is he’s won already and knocked him out so he’s got a mental edge going into the rematch.
‘Joshua is going into it mentally beaten already because he’s been knocked out.
‘Boxing is 95 per cent in the mind anyway. It wasn’t a lucky punch, I gave Joshua one round out of the seven.
‘Everyone has a bogeyman in their career, I think personally that Ruiz Jr is the bogeyman for Joshua.’
Fury has taken some time out of boxing recently to feature in the WWE, and has also teased a possible future in the UFC, hinting that he may only have a few fights left in his boxing career.
But he backed himself to beat Ruiz if the two ever got in the ring together, calling him a ‘little fat pig’ and saying he is ‘tailor made’ for him.
Fury was knocked down by Wilder in their fight in LA last year after the American landed a devastating left hand, but despite looking unconscious he recovered to hear the final bell as the bout ended in a draw.
