The championship-caliber days of Anthony Joshua are gone. That’s according to Chris Algieri on the Inside Boxing Live podcast.
The former WBO junior welterweight echoed commentator Todd Grisham’s on-air assessment that Anthony Joshua is “damaged goods” at 34 years old.
“I’m going to have to agree now. I’m going to say this only because I’m a fighter and only because I’m damaged goods. I understand what that means. There’s a certain point where it’s not even so much the reactions, but your judgment of distance. All of those things are diminished. When you’re young, you see that punch coming…How many guys [do] we know who are so good at making it miss by a hair? Boom. Come right back.”
“When you get older…your brain just doesn’t work at that speed anymore. You’re not able to see, react, change, [and] pull the trigger. I think Anthony Joshua from a couple of years ago thought he was safe. [He] probably was safe. This Anthony Joshua is different. 34 is 34.”
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In Algieri’s eyes, that diminished version of the former unified champ won’t be successful “against the guys who are vying for the world titles.” While it may seem harsh, the 29-fight veteran insists that it doesn’t dismiss “AJ” or his legacy.
“I love Anthony Joshua. He’s [been] one of my favorite heavyweights for a long time. I just don’t think he has it anymore. And that’s no knock on him, it’s just life,” he said.
Algieri: Anthony Joshua ‘So Derelict’ It ‘Diminishes’ Dubois
Despite walking into Wembley Arena as the betting underdog, Daniel Dubois had little trouble handling Joshua. “Dynamite” dropped him four times en route to a fifth-round knockout.
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Algielri feels that the difference in Joshua was apparent even before the opening bell. “He left it on the walk,” he told co-host Dan Canobbio. “He looked nervous, he looked tight, he looked stiff…30 seconds in, I was like ‘Joshua is dust.’”
As far as the IBF champion is concerned, Algeri feels that “he’s a problem for everyone in this division.”
However, that praise stops short upon evaluating his opposition last Saturday.
“Granted, Dubois did what he was supposed to do. But Anthony was so derelict in his ability…it almost diminishes Dubois’ performance.”
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