Watch 'The Gloves Are Off - The Debate' On Demand Now!
Sunday 24 November 2019 09:06, UK
Anthony Joshua's stoppage by Andy Ruiz Jr has been analysed by Sky Sports experts who questioned whether the British star could have continued the fight?
Sky customers: Buy Ruiz Jr v Joshua 2
Non-Sky customers: Buy Ruiz Jr v Joshua 2
Joshua can reclaim his world heavyweight titles in a rematch with Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia on December 7, live on Sky Sports Box Office, after the Mexican sensationally halted 'AJ' in the seventh round at New York's Madison Square Garden in June.
And Sky Sports pundits became embroiled in a heated discussion on 'The Gloves Are Off - The Debate' while scrutinising the sudden ending to the first fight.
"He was in serious trouble. Every time he tried to punch, he got counter punched towards the end.
"The body shots, the head shots were clipping him. His legs were still gone, but the stoppage, when he went over he kind of looked at his corner, then he spat his gum shield out.
Well that's ultimately why the referee stopped the fight, because he didn't look like he wanted to carry on, did he?
"Okay, good move, give yourself a bit of a breather, then when he stood up, he knew he stood up on eight seconds. You have to then look at the referee in the eye and convince the referee 'I want to keep fighting', by the way.
"But he walked back to the corner nonchalantly, put his gloves up. Well, that's ultimately why the referee stopped the fight, because he didn't look like he wanted to carry on, did he?"
At no point did he say 'I don't want no more.' At no point did he shake his head and say 'no'.
"Does he thinks he's getting the benefit of the doubt, because of who he is?
"A kid coming from the situation and the place he's come from, they don't quit. I don't care what anybody says, there's no way in a million years. At no point did he say 'I don't want no more.' At no point did he shake his head and say 'no'."
"That part that I couldn't get my head around is - in the seventh round when he got put down, it wasn't like a big shot. He seemed like he just got cuffed and just wanted a little bit of a break.
I would never get up in a fight at eight and turn my back on the ref, because I would expect the referee to go 'the fight is over!'
"He goes down, gathers himself, gets up at eight and then turns his back and walks away from the referee at eight. That's one thing I don't understand. Maybe he realised that it's the 'AJ Show' and the referee is going to give me the benefit of the doubt?
"I would never get up in a fight at eight and turn my back on the ref, because I would expect the referee to go 'the fight is over!'"
"I watched the [Wladimir] Klitschko fight myself. Get up in front of 90,000 people, not only get up after a knockdown, but then go through the next couple of rounds when it's not going his way and he's still focused, concentrated until he finally steadies the ship and turns it around and gets a knockout against an ex-world champion.
At that moment, was he just like 'wow, this guy is coming at me and I'm too tired to deal with this?'
"He showed he can do it, but was the fatigue a factor in this fight to take the fight out of him? At that moment, was he just like 'wow, this guy is coming at me and I'm too tired to deal with this?' I'm playing Devil's advocate because again, the reaction in that moment - could he have quit? It's possible, it's up for debate."
Watch Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua 2 in Saudi Arabia on Saturday December 7, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
