By James Gray

ANTHONY JOSHUA was concussed by Andy Ruiz Jr in the third round of their clash and Rob McCracken knew it immediately, the trainer has admitted.

Joshua lost for the first time as a professional back in June when Ruiz Jr shocked the world by stopping the Brit in the seventh round.

The New York crowd thought it was business as usual when AJ put his opponent down in the third but the Mexican-American came out swinging.

Ruiz Jr replied with two knockdowns of his own in the same round and McCracken admitted that from that moment on, the fight was completely changed.

McCracken told the BBC: “Once he knocked Ruiz down and he got caught, he did not recover.

“I know him better than all these experts who virtually don’t know him or have met him once or twice so I knew he was concussed and I’m trying to get him through a few more rounds, one round at a time, and see where he’s at.

“‘Can he recover? Can he get back into this?’

“But he was glazy-eyed from when he got caught with that initial shot in round three and he carried that with him up until the end.

“I’ve worked with him for nine years and I knew he wasn’t quite where he needed to be.

“He was asking me why he was feeling this way and stuff.

“It’s a nightmare situation. Professional boxing is deadly and you’re in the corner with a heavyweight who you’ve worked with for a long time.

“You know him inside and out, he’s not responding how he should and I’m supposed to tell him to throw 50 combinations and tie him up all night.”

McCracken has worked with Joshua since his amateur days and helped guide him to three world heavyweight belts.

But the former professional fighter came under fire after Joshua’s defeat with some – including boxing legend Lennox Lewis – even calling for him to split from his trainer before the rematch later this year.

Joshua responded last month: “Whoever said that is a clown. Part ways with McCracken? No way. These people don’t understand loyalty.

“These people aren’t cut from the same cloth, if that’s what they are suggesting.

“Whoever has that mindset should not bother talking to me, if they have that mindset.

“How could they say that? I’ve worked with two people in boxing – Sean Murphy, my trainer [at Finchley amateur gym].

“Then a year-and-a-half later I was up to Sheffield training with Rob McCracken.”

Article courtesy of The Sun

Photo courtesy of Boxing Action Magazine