Lennox Lewis has praised Anthony Joshua’s recent performance and revealed he’d be open to giving him advice in the future should Joshua want it.
Following his shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. in June, Joshua unloaded in an explosive interview with Sky Sports.
Lewis was at the centre of that attack, with the two-time champion labelling the legend a ‘clown’.
This came after Lewis had suggested Joshua needed to make big changes for the rematch. Since then, Joshua has gone on to outpoint Mexico’s first heavyweight ruler to regain the WBA, IBO, WBO and IBF straps in the Middle East.
Despite Joshua’s outburst, Lewis kept it classy when analyzing the 2012 Olympian’s display in the desert.
“One hundred percent (he deserves credit) because I’ve seen a lot of boxers who go in there and forget about their game plan,” Lewis told CompuBox Inside Boxing.
“Some get lost with it, but he was pretty focused, he started training pretty much right after the fight and he understood what he needed to do and did it.”
On whether he’d offer any future help to Joshua, Lewis added: “Yeah (I’d help him).
“Obviously, I’ve congratulated him already. The fact that he was able to stick to the game plan and exercise that jab like he was supposed to was unbelievable.
“That’s a great feat for him and he looked good too at doing it.”
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EXCUSES
However, the Hall of Famer was less complimentary on his opponent’s performance. Coming in overweight and producing a lackluster performance.
Lewis believes the ‘excuses’ made by Ruiz was poor form.
“The problem is, I don’t want to take too much away from Anthony Joshua. He exercised what he needed to do, and this is the way you’re supposed to do it so that’s all I can say.
“And then the only other thing I can say is, if you’re boxing for the heavyweight championship of the world, you better come in prepared. Especially if you’ve got the time to prepare.
“To me, you should never make those excuses. I think it’s okay to when you go to a school. If you’re talking to kids and you say, you know to be successful. You can’t do this. These are the things you’re supposed to stay away from. I think that works then but not at the end of the fight.
“He only has himself to blame for that,” he added.
