The Rise and Fall of Anthony Joshua

Few careers in modern British boxing have twisted and turned quite like Anthony Joshua’s. From Olympic gold and sold-out stadiums to shocking defeats and public self-reflection, AJ’s story is one of the most dramatic in the sport. Once seen as the heavyweight division’s golden child, he now sits in the uncomfortable position of chasing a legacy that once seemed inevitable. The Anthony Joshua rise and fall is more than just a career arc — it’s a case study in hype, pressure, and what happens when the image starts to crack.

The Meteoric Rise

After winning gold at the London 2012 Olympics, Joshua turned pro in 2013 and wasted no time bulldozing his way to the top. He was marketable, composed, and devastatingly powerful. Everything about him screamed ‘next big thing’. That rise peaked in 2017, when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in front of 90,000 fans. Down in the fight, he rallied back to stop the veteran in what many called the modern era’s best heavyweight scrap.

That night didn’t just cement Joshua’s place in the sport — it launched him into superstardom. Brands, broadcasters, stadiums… everyone wanted a piece. For a time, it felt like heavyweight boxing belonged to him.

Cracks in the Armour

But even in those early triumphs, the questions were there. He looked gassed against Klitschko. He was criticised for being too muscle-bound. And wins against Carlos Takam, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin, while solid, didn’t carry the same fireworks.

The unbeaten run was intact, but the invincibility? Not quite.

The Ruiz Shock: The Fall Begins

June 2019 was supposed to be Joshua’s American coming-out party. Instead, it became the night the world saw the myth unravel. In a late-replacement shocker, Andy Ruiz Jr. dropped AJ four times and stopped him in the seventh round. It wasn’t just the loss — it was how completely unprepared he looked.

The rematch in Saudi Arabia showed discipline and composure, but also caution. The power-puncher had turned safety-first. The damage to his aura was done.

Check out our full post-fight breakdown of that upset here:
Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz: What Really Went Wrong?

Usyk: A Different Level of Trouble

If Ruiz exposed the vulnerability, Oleksandr Usyk exposed the limits. In back-to-back fights, Joshua was outboxed, out-thought, and frankly outclassed. The second bout was closer, but the result was the same — defeat.

This is where the Anthony Joshua rise and fall theme became unavoidable. Once the apex predator, AJ was now hesitant, cautious, and frequently second best against top-tier operators.

Stuck in Rebuild Mode

Since then, it’s been a case of cautious steps rather than bold leaps. Wins over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius gave him rounds but not headlines. He’s still a name, still a draw, but no longer feels like a champion-in-waiting.

So here’s the question we all need to ask — and feel free to answer it in the comments below:
Is Anthony Joshua still rebuilding toward something real… or just drifting toward retirement?

The Road Ahead

Big-money fights are still out there. A clash with Deontay Wilder has long been rumoured. A domestic showdown with Joe Joyce could draw a crowd. But are these stepping stones to another title run, or simply legacy-padding events?

The reality is this: if AJ wants to silence the doubters, it’s going to take a proper risk. Not a soft comeback. Not a “name” with nothing left. A fight. One that matters.

Final Thoughts

The Anthony Joshua rise and fall isn’t a story with a neat ending. It’s still being written. But right now, it feels like we’re watching a man trying to rediscover what made him special in the first place. And maybe, if the next fight is the right one, he still could.

What do you think? Has Joshua got one more big chapter left in him — or are we already reading the epilogue?
Drop your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to check out more honest takes and opinion-led analysis at CMBoxing.co.uk.