Joshua vs Fury: Where does AJ’s ‘chaotic’ win in Saudi Arabia leave heavyweight blockbuster?
In the aftermath of such a chaotic night, it is easy to focus only on the flaws and forget the bigger picture. Joshua was returning from one of the darkest periods of his life and carrying an immense emotional burden into the ring.
After his hand was raised, he struggled to get through his interview. His voice cracked as he spoke about his two friends and the impact their loss has had on him.
“Boxing once saved him and he needed boxing to get through this. That camp allowed him to focus his mind while he was in so much grief and pain,” promoter Eddie Hearn said.
“You don’t know what he was going through in that camp because he doesn’t talk about it.”
Whatever happens next, his place in British boxing history is already secure. He is an Olympic gold medallist, a two-time heavyweight champion and one of the biggest sporting stars this country has produced.
He has taken boxing to places few British fighters ever have. He has filled stadiums, headlined global events and become a household name far beyond the sport.
But in the build-up to his comeback, Joshua and his stablemate Oleksandr Usyk spoke about the ambition of becoming undisputed heavyweight champion.
After Saturday night in Saudi, the reality is that even reclaiming a world title would be a tough ask.
Joshua has always spoken about legacy, and there would be something fitting about walking away after overcoming one of the toughest periods of his life and producing a dramatic comeback victory.
The danger with ageing fighters is chasing one more night. Boxing history is filled with champions who stayed that one fight too long.
But then again Fury-Joshua is not one more fight. It is the fight. The one that has loomed over their careers for the best part of a decade.