Some losses can be harder to take than others.

Over the years different boxers have responded differently to taking their first defeat in the ring. For some, it is a lesson learnt and a springboard to go on to bigger and better things, for others it can be hard to come back from coming off second best.

In the case of Anthony Joshua’s shock upset loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019, the Brit came back much better in the second fight. He was knocked down several times in the first encounter and caught with plenty of shots at Madison Square Garden, but in the rematch later that year out in Saudi Arabia he boxed at range, stayed safe and secured a shutout on the scorecards.

Since then he has lost two more very different, technical fitters across 12 rounds to Oleksandr Usyk and rebuilt once more with a string of four wins that have led him to a fight with Daniel Dubois for the IBF world champions in August this year.

Meanwhile, Ruiz has fought only a couple of times against Chris Areola and Luis Ortiz, both of which he won by unanimous decision.

Speaking to TheRingDigital he was asked what keeps him motivated and he revealed that it’s the loss to Joshua.

“You know what keeps me motivated, when Anthony Joshua beat me in Saudi Arabia I wasn’t prepared, I wasn’t training right, it kind of haunts me a bit so now I got to be prepared for every single fighter.

It still haunts me that’s why I want that trilogy with him so for me to even talk about that I got to get back in the groove.”

Next up he takes on the 3000lbs plus Brooklyn fighter Jarrell Miller in August.