Heavyweight title to be short-lived
Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr., two legendary boxers who shook up the boxing world during their first fight, are expected to get back in the ring sometime before the end of this year. This rematch would come after a shocking technical knockout in round seven of last month’s fight, which left Brit Joshua on the losing end of the match.
The outcome of the fight was not what the world expected, with Joshua being an overwhelming favorite before the fight. In addition, the majority of spectators, including Joshua himself, believed that Ruiz’s skill and physique were not on the Brit’s level.
“It’s easy to overlook someone [Ruiz] because of their shape or their record and whatnot,” Joshua said.
However, Joshua will not overlook Ruiz in their rematch in hopes of reclaiming the heavyweight title.
The first two rounds of the June match were unsurprising, with Joshua controlling the fight as he has done against other opponents. After a third-round knockdown by Joshua, it looked like the fight was over. However, Ruiz miraculously reversed the tide, landing a barrage of hooks and punches to knock down Joshua.
The next few rounds saw Joshua struggling to regain his strength and bearings, while Ruiz looked for an opening for the finishing blow. This came in round seven with Joshua hitting the canvas twice in a row, resulting in the referee calling a technical knockout.
Instead of facing off against Deontay Wilder who holds the WBC heavyweight title, Joshua will need to prove the Ruiz loss was a fluke. For Wilder, his team has decided to wait on the outcome of the Joshua and Ruiz rematch and fight the victor.
Although the odds are near even between the two fighters, Joshua should have the upper hand and defeat Ruiz the next time they clash.
The Brit won the first three rounds of the fight undisputedly, but he did not expect Ruiz to retaliate in such an aggressive fashion. Another factor in the loss was Joshua trading blows with Ruiz despite the Mexican fighter being in the lead. If Joshua controls the fight from the start and accounts for the aggressiveness of Ruiz, he will get his revenge and win against Ruiz.
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