Was AJ unlucky not to get the fights that would make him an ATG

The only fights that would anyone close to an ATG are fury and Usyk.

The idea that Fury and Usyk are ATG heavyweights is questionable in itself.

 

He got the big fights against Usyk and lost both, it's revisionist history to "what if" about Wilder/Fury fights that never happened.

 

He had his defining moment and lost both. Has feasted on past its and second raters which he'll go back to merrily.

 

He can`t be an ATG getting soundly out-boxed by Usyk, the Wilder fight means nothing now as Wilder is not elite.

 

How are those names a level above Wilder's opposition when Wilder beat 2 of them and they weren't Wilder's toughest defences either.

 

I also would favour Fury, but had he gotten to fight Wilder he likely would have made history as the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the 4 belt era.

Oh well, so is life

 

He might not have beaten either of them though. He definitely wasn't gonna beat the man/mountain Fury, and while I'd have favored him "a bit" against Wilder, Wilder was so much quicker, and explosive, plus the fact that (whether you guys wanna admit it or not) so much more durable, he probably was gonna eventually get clipped.

 

Wilder knocks Joshua out.
Fury stops Joshua as well.

Joshua should be happy he faced a guy twice who isn't forcing stoppages at all.

And your question is dumb anyway. The boxer, brand and "product" Anthony Joshua was created by Eddie Hearn because of getting fights that made him look good.

Beating Charles Martin to get a world title? GTFOH.

Joshua was never on the way to an ATG. He was a hype job. Got his Gold medal by robbery. Got a very favorable draw in his pro career as well. He looks good, he's an insane athlete. That was enough to sell him to the public as the new Boxing star. But he just wasn't as good as advertised.

Look what Fury or Usyk did. Usyk cleaned out the CW division and basically fought all the fights on the road. Now he's cleaning out the HW division as well. Fury travelled to the US and fought Wilder thrice. He fought Wlad in Germany. That's legacy and ATG material. Not beating scrubs in the UK and then folding when stepping it up the first time.

AJ is an overachiever. Considering his skillset he did extraordinary well in his career.

 

AJ’s time is not done at all. He still has every opportunity.

 

Its not even April yet