Anthony Knox, a freshman wrestler at Rutgers University, spoke publicly in Piscataway on Tuesday for the first time since a 2025 brawl in Collingswood, NJ.com reported.
Knox told a small group of reporters he is focused on his goal of becoming a four-time national champion.
The session at the Rutgers athletic performance center ran a little over 11 minutes, according to the Asbury Park Press. Knox used the word pivoting several times and said he controls only what he can control.
The District 25 Tournament Altercation
NJ.com reported that Knox and his father, Anthony Knox Sr., went into the stands and set off a melee at the 2025 NJSIAA District 25 Tournament in Collingswood. Both were arrested and charged with simple assault.
They each took part in a virtual municipal court hearing on May 14, 2025.
Later, NJ.com reported, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), the governing body for high school sports in the state, disqualified Knox.
The Asbury Park Press reported that the NJSIAA Controversies Committee decided in May to strip him of the 2025 state 126-pound championship.
NJSIAA now lists Knox as a three-time state champion, and the 2025 title is vacant. Knox won it on the mat with an 18-4 major decision over Nathan Braun of Bergen Catholic. The family chose not to appeal, according to the Asbury Park Press.
What Knox Said About the Fallout
Asked whether he will always consider himself a four-time state champion, Knox declined to comment. Many wrestling observers will always count him as one, the Asbury Park Press reported.
Knox was also asked whether he regrets anything from the night of the altercation. He said it is in the past and there is nothing he can change.
He described the stretch before the state tournament as very hard. Referring to his fourth state title, he told reporters he got the moment he wanted. Once he won, he knew that chapter was over and it was time for the next one, NJ.com reported.
Knox was asked whether Cornell had hesitated to pursue him because of what he was going through. He answered that Cornell was not the right fit for him.
Career at St. John Vianney and Move to Rutgers
Knox wrestled at St. John Vianney High School from 2021 to 2025. The Asbury Park Press described him as one of five wrestlers to win four NJSIAA titles on the mat. NJ.com called him one of the greatest wrestlers in New Jersey history.
At the news conference, NJ.com said, Knox detailed the 10 months since his move back to New Jersey and his highly publicized transfer to Rutgers. He is listed as a freshman 125-pounder for the Scarlet Knights, according to the Asbury Park Press.
Its story carried a headline built on Knox's wish that people know he is a good person.