Actually the ref should have stopped it at the end of the 3rd when AJ failed to respond to the refs commands. He did not come forward when the ref asked him to.
He tried to make it look like a controversial stoppage,the gum shield thing we've seen before,what about the laces trick did he pull that one?
Well it's the point when the referee pulls him out of the corner by the shorts, then asks if he is ready to fight, AJ says yes, then goes back to the corner to hold the ropes. Body language said a lot more than the mouth.
If you think a 20 count is too soon, then AJ staring blankly at the canvas when the Ref waved for him to come close... nah... Did u want AJ to get seriously hurt and let the fight continue? nah, boxing is too danggerous for that mate... too many boxers dying due to poor refs not stopping the fight when it needs to be stopped.
Why would he hold them up? It's the referee's job to say "Hold them up" and to grab them. He does as instructed, he was dazed and couldn't be expected to do the referee's job for him.
Joshua was totally gassed, physically and mentally. That's why he spat his mouthpiece out earlier in the round so he could get extra rest time.
Given the context of it, I think it was a good stoppage. Had it continued those are exactly the type of fights that can leave a fighter ruined.
Ah... so an exhausted, borderline concussed fighter thats been beat up and knocked down four times has to have the exact proper body language set to onlookers exact requirements, despite looking the ref in the eye and saying he wants to continue, or he gets to be labeled a quitter. Right.
If He was concussed it’s a proper stoppage. If he was not concussed then why was he not walking forward to fight?
Reminded me of Garcia V Khan - subtly show the ref you're finished then pretend to protest when he calls it off.
What I have started to question is.. AJ's corner, especially McCracken. Nearly EVERYBODY involved on Boxing have all said the same things "AJ didn't look right" and " you could see it in the ring walk, he didn't look like the usual AJ". Also the stuff AJ was saying between rounds, like "Why am I feeling like this" and other strange questions. Then you have the rumour, a very strong rumour AJ was knocked out in sparring and suffered a concussion. Now why didn't McCracken pull him out? He had been dropped twice, was tired, confused, hurt, apparently suffered a concussion and stoppage in training.. if the sparring story is true. Why wasn't McCracken on the ring apron in the 7th round after the second knockdown waving it off? Do they care about Joshua's health and well being? Or Was McCracken too frightened to make that decision?
Fighters get dropped in Sparring all the time. Why should Hearns take on huge losses because of AJ's incompetency in Sparring?