Anthony Joshua named the hardest puncher he’s been hit by in his boxing career and it’s not Andy Ruiz, but could Francis Ngannou soon take that title?

Anthony Joshua said Andy Ruiz and Oleksandr Usyk are not the hardest punchers he’s face in the boxing ring.

This is despite them being the only two fighters to beat him in his professional career.

Getty

Ruiz even floored the British superstar four times and stopped him when they first clashed in 2019.

However, AJ insists Wladimir Klitschko hit him harder when he was put down by the heavyweight legend in their epic 2017 battle.

When asked the question on the Pound For Pound Podcast, Joshua hesitated and then replied: “Who’s hit me the hardest? Yeah, Klitschko.

“I was gonna say Ruiz, but when he hit me that was like a concussion on the back of my head.

Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

“When I went in with Klitschko, yeah, I just knew this could go two ways.

“I could either win or I’m gonna be laid out on my back. You know when you get carried out on a stretcher?”

AJ eventually stopped Klitschko in the eleventh after a thrilling couple of middle rounds in which he exchanged knockdowns with the legendary champion.

Joshua put the Ukrainian down in the fifth before being flattened by a cataclysmic right hand three minutes later.

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

Referencing that famous punch, he continued: “It was the 15 that came after that as well. This guy’s a beast, he’s a beast.“

Following his rematch win over Ruiz, Joshua knocked out Kubrat Pulev before being beaten again, twice.

Usyk proved too clever for AJ, though was understandably not named as the hardest puncher he’s faced as he did not knock him down or out in either of their fights.

He’s since bounced back with wins over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius and Otto Wallin in 2023.

Joshua will now start 2024 with a new challenge as he faces a man who may yet take Klitschko’s title as the hardest puncher he’s faced.

AJ will take on Francis Ngannou on Friday night in Riyadh, with the ex-UFC KO king having already shown his ferocious punching power in the boxing ring by flooring Tyson Fury last year.

We’ll have to see if Joshua updates his answer after facing the ‘Predator’.

Boxing WhatsApp channel

Get the latest fight news, reaction and the best opinion from talkSPORT pundits in our Boxing WhatsApp channel.

Follow our Boxing channel HERE.