Why Anthony Joshua is Actually Everyone

I get it. Ruiz is the underdog. The “Rocky” of the story. And honestly, I really appreciate his cherubic demeanour and overall pluckiness. 

But I desperately want him to lose. I would literally sell my soul for him to lose. I’ve had enough of this fucking underdog.

When Joshua lost, the whole boxing world was shaken to its core. Who really could claim they knew anything after Ruiz shocked the world. I questioned all decisions in my life after that. What level of judgement did I really have if I put so much stock into this god damn greek god who managed to hit the canvas four times before arguably quitting?! My career choice? Questionable. Future life goals? Out the window. I was a newborn baby in this world with no idea how to navigate.

If he manages to knock Anthony Joshua out again, it will be too much for me. I identify too much with Anthony Joshua. To me, he is all of us. 

Hear me out.

Joshua’s rise was meteoric. He was told he was the next coming of Ali. Winning his belts off perhaps the worst champion in the history of heavyweight boxing, Charles Martin, Anthony Joshua has never faced real adversity. Nine million IG followers, a sold-out arenas, an Adonis like physique. His heavyweight resume, despite Charles Martin is actually one of the strongest, if not the strongest in the division. He had it all. 

I actually can’t relate to any of that. What average person could identify with that level of success? But trust me, you’ll identify soon.

Enter Andy Ruiz. The five-week replacement who looked like Butterbean on a good day. Everybody laughed. Everybody mocked. Eddie Hearn and Joshua were criticized for their choice. The weigh-in was a fat-shaming circus spectacle.

And then June 1st happened. 

Now, here’s where Joshua gets real relatable, because as the hot takes rolled in, and every one and their sister’s boyfriend’s cousin offered their insight, a pattern emerged: “Overrated”, “Hype job”, “Soft”, “Glass chin”, “Big Stiff Idiot”, “Fraud”.

And now, Anthony Joshua and I aren’t so different after all. Because we both drinking from the same cup. “What’s that bartender? Yes please, I’ll have another. A nice pint of Shame. I’ll drink that shit right up. Two pitchers please. And you know what, serve it warm. I deserve it.”

Shame is something a lot of us know all too well. From poor life decisions to awkward interactions, from internal failures to external rejections. Shame haunts us. And Joshua feels it. I can see it in his eyes, in his interviews, in his carefully crafted sentences. 

THE GUY IS BROKEN.

But aren’t we all my friend. And that is why Anthony Joshua winning is the better story. I don’t give a shit about the underdog any more. That guy got his glory. He’s the champ. Great. But now? Now I want to see the broken man win. I want to see someone who clearly suffered mentally, who questioned everything in his life, who probably still doesn’t know how good or bad he is, I want that guy to show everyone that he can get it back.

That no matter how much any one of us feels broken, or in a dark black hole, that we can rise up again and reclaim something we lost. Whether it be our pride, our self respect, anything. Anthony Joshua was publicly humiliated in front of a global audience on what was supposed to be his crowning arrival to the United States. I believe he can come back.

Inspire me dude. Please.