Stunned Anthony Joshua was left wondering what round it was as he weathered the storm which ultimately saw him lose his heavyweight world titles against Andy Ruiz Jr.
Joshua was sent to the canvas twice in the third round against the unfancied Mexican challenger and was finally stopped in the seventh round having never fully recovered.
It was a stunning night at Madison Square Garden as his US debut turned into disaster and left him bloodied, dazed and with his unblemished professional record up in smoke.
The true extent of Joshua’s difficulty was apparent at the end of the fifth round when he spoke to trainer Rob McCracken.
“What round is it?” he asked, before returning at the end of the sixth and questioning “Why am I feeling like this?”
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Joshua never saw the end of the seventh as a big right hand left him flat on his back, and referee Michael Griffin stepped in with him unable to steady his feet.
He claimed he wanted to carry on but looked unable to find his bearings as Griffin ignored his protests and waved off the contest.
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It sparked wild celebrations from Ruiz, who Joshua congratulated before vowing to comeback stronger after a setback that is “all part of the journey”.
Joshua told Sky Sports Box Office: “Boxing is a tough sport, but I train hard and I got beaten by a good fighter, it will be interesting to see how far he goes, but this is all part of the journey.
“Congratulations to the first Mexican heavyweight champion. We bounce back.
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“I’m a fighter by heart, boxer by trade, it has got people talking and there’s more life in the heavyweight division.
“This is the risk we take, every fighter deserves respect so congratulations to him. I respect every fighter, this is all part of the legacy, it’s how strong I came back. He’s a champion for now, I shall return.”
A rematch is now expected to take place in the UK in November or December 2019.
