Anthony Joshua is known by many to be a class act, both inside and outside the boxing ring.
The former two-time heavyweight world champion has fired back at times when provoked by the likes of Jarrell Miller during fight build-ups, but usually keeps things respectful.
A prime example of this has been the preamble to his fight with Francis Ngannou on March 8, which has seen the two titans show a mutual appreciation for one another with no spiteful words exchanged.
READ MORE ;I’ve sparred Anthony Joshua AND Tyson Fury, they are two different boxers and here’s how they compare
Perhaps most famously, AJ was accused of being too nice before his disastrous first fight with Andy Ruiz in 2019 that saw him lose for the first time.
When Miller failed his drugs tests, he was replaced at short notice by Ruiz, who was almost treated like a competition winner at the pre-fight presser.
Joshua even allowed the Mexican to hold his belts for a picture before the fight.
A few days later, the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight world titles formally changed hands as Ruiz floored AJ four times and stopped him in round seven.
However, Ruiz weighed in more than a stone heavier for their rematch in Saudi Arabia six months later after plenty of partying and poor preparation.
RELATED NEWS ;Tyson Fury stance on withdrawing from Oleksandr Usyk fight revealed after Anthony Joshua offer
As a result, he was comfortably outboxed and Joshua triumphantly regained the belts.
Ruiz later said that he struggled with depression in the aftermath and ballooned up to 320lbs.
One shining light for him during this period though were the messages of support he received from his rival.
Having only recently experienced defeat for himself, AJ decided to console his opponent.
Ruiz Jr revealed to the Mail: “There were a few messages.
“We were just saying that I’d bounce back, that I’m a great fighter.
“I have nothing but love for him. I don’t have no grudges.”
The coronavirus pandemic delayed Ruiz Jr’s ring return, but he eventually came back and beat Chris Arreola in May 2021.
UPDATE ;Francis Ngannou announces next fight weeks before Anthony Joshua showdown
He then picked up a solid win against Luis Ortiz in August 2022 and is hoping to get in on the Saudi Arabia heavyweight party with a return to action again in 2024.
