Former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton has questioned Anthony Joshua’s magnanimous reaction to his shock defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr.
The new champion had only been installed as his challenger with little over a month's notice after a suspension for Joshua's previous opponent Jarrell Miller had ruled him out, and he had also lost his only previous world title fight, in 2016 to Joseph Parker, who had since gone on to lose his undefeated record to Joshua.
When he then suffered the first knockdown of his career in the third round the routine outcome that had been expected appeared imminent, but Ruiz Jr not only responded with two swift knockdowns, he caused one of the greatest upsets in heavyweight history with two more before victory in the seventh.
After his defeat, Joshua tweeted a picture of himself with Ruiz after the fight with the message: “This is Andy's night, congratulations Champ” as his three world title belts were taken away.
And both Frampton and former heavyweight world champion David Haye have criticised Joshua’s reaction to losing his world titles.
Frampton said: “You talk about people being good losers. It's nice to be gracious and shake someone's hand. But it's a little bit too nice this for me.
“If you lose a fight, you should be absolutely heartbroken, you should be raging with yourself, you should be absolutely gutted. I'm not seeing that.”
Haye replied: “I know Carl, I know myself, I know when I go into the ring, I'm willing to die in the ring.
“You only have to watch my fights over the years to know I'd rather get stretchered out than not continue.”
Frampton then added: “People talk about bad losers, especially with kids throwing a tantrum. I like to see that because it means they wanted to win.
“This is a completely bizarre scenario. There are too many smiles here for me.” PA.
