Anthony Joshua reveals his uncle identified Andy Ruiz Jr as an ‘upset king’ five years before shock defeat

ANTHONY JOSHUA'S uncle labelled Andy Ruiz Jr as an "upset king" five years ago.

The British superstar has vowed to bounce back after he was dethroned by the 25-1 outsider in New York on June 1.

Joshua's defeat to the 19st Mexican-American came as one of the biggest shocks in boxing history.

The Watford bruiser was decked four times before referee Mike Griffin eventually waved the fight off before the end of the seventh round.

But in 2014, AJ's uncle predicted that Ruiz Jr would cause a stir in the heavyweight division.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Joshua said: "I remember years ago my uncle wrote out a list of all the heavyweights and next to Andy Ruiz Jr he wrote 'upset king' believe it or not.

"This was around 2014 he gave me that list."

AJ has claimed that he got hit so hard during the fight that he did not know where he was.

The former WBO, WBA and IBF champion added: "I couldn't even really remember where I was at the time but I just knew that I was in for a fight.

"I knew that I should be here [on the canvas], so I just got to my feet and we went again.

"Ruiz done well, hit me with a good shot and I just couldn't recover from it and that was it.

'MY MIND WAS NOT THERE'

"My legs and everything, it's like, it's a weird feeling, but from there on I remember going back on the corner - can't remember what I was saying.

"I think it was from the fifth round I thought I was recovering, I would assume so as I started landing a few shots.

"Slipping and sliding shots isn't my forte, long range boxing, power shots is my forte so I was doing something that isn't my option one.

"It's probably my option three and it got me through to the seventh round and that was it.

"Boom got hit again, as you climb, the hole was getting deeper.

"I don't know, it shows that training went well, I was strong, I was fit - even though my mind was not there, my body was strong enough I kept on getting up. "

Joshua revealed that he thought the referee was putting his gum shield back in before he waved off the fight.

And he has vowed to become the two-time heavyweight champion ahead of his rematch with Ruiz Jr. 

He added: "I've always felt like the belts never representing me, I'm always a man who stands alone and that's why I say, I make boxing.

"Boxing doesn't represent me, I was a man before I held those belts. I was a respectful person before I held those belts and I will always be the same person when I retire.

"I don't think you should give up when you meet a blip in life. I can get it right and that's why I want to take this rematch and reactivate it immediately.

"I'm still keen to fight the best in the world, I'm still keen to prove myself, my ambition in boxing at the minute is to be the two time heavyweight champion of the world."