70 MILLION POUNDS AND THE WORLD IN HIS POCKET AS ANTHONY JOSHUA REGAINS HEAVYWEIGHT TITLES IN SAUDI ARABIA

By Sola Ojewusi

Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua has regained the titles he lost to Andy Ruiz, the beefy Mexican American last June!

And not only did AJ regain four belts in the brutal but glamorous heavyweight division he was £70 million richer last night. And he did this with the amazing style, guile and panache that seemed to have deserted him six months earlier in New York when he was sensationally knocked out by the same Andy Ruiz.

With his victory last night JOSHUA has clearly sent a message to the boxing world that he is back with a renewed hunger and determination to rule the world of boxing for a long time.

In a fight that was tagged the “Clash of the Dunes”, Joshua right from the beginning showed that he was never again going to give Ruiz the kind of tactical luxury that made the debacle of New York possible in June. Not only was he clinical with his jabs, Joshua avoided the tqctical blunder that gave his opponent the leverage and eventual monumental victory in Madison Square Garden. Last nights encore showed a more cautious, more clinical Joshua, exhibiting a renewed defense mechanism glaringly missing in the first fight in America. Straight from the bell, Joshua came swinging hellfire jabs that landed in the right places while ensuring that Ruiz never matched his haymaker punches. Unlike in New York, Joshua’s shots were clinical while his defense strategy was near perfect. His strategy made nonsense of his opponent’s best efforts on an unusual night of rain and mild humidity in the Middle Eastern Saudi Arabia.

The margin of victory on the cards, showing two judges scoring 118-110 and 119-109 in Joshua’s favour was a true reflection of what transpired last night. Ruiz did everything to ensure that he retained the titles but he met a more resolute and better poised Joshua who appeared determined that even if there would be a rematch, it would be done on his terms. Joshua showed that what happened in New York was a fluke that would never be allowed to repeat itself and he went all out to make that clear.

In a post-fight interview Joshua expressed this. “I’m used to knocking guys out, but the last time, I got caught coming in,” he said. “The sweet science of this sport is about hitting and not getting hit. Stay hungry, stay humble.”

Perhaps it can he said that Ruiz’s dramatic weight gain which many believed was strategically aimed at overwhelming Joshua backfired, somewhat slowing down and squelching the Mexican American’s spirit but you can’t take away Joshua’s masterful display of sheer nimbleness and definiteness of purpose in Saudi. A deliberately slimmed-down Joshua was a study in professional readiness. He fought with such clinical efficiency that reduced his foe to a surprise shadow of his former self making it obvious that Ruiz had committed a costly error of thought that Saudi would be as easy as New Hork. This much Ruiz acknowledged in a post match interview. “Next time I’m going to get a bit more prepared,” he said. “Joshua did a hell of a job.”

The intensity of Joshua’s fight began to show in the first round, when a solid shot sent blood trickling from above the Mexican-American’s left eye. Credit must however be given for Ruiz’s ability to absorb Joshua’s stinging barrages. Ruiz was really determined to punish Joshua. He tried severally to trick Joshua into repeating the New York blunders, clashing heads with the determined Nigerian but Joshua easilybsaw through the bait and he maintained a tactical distance landing many shots that made many a return forays difficult for his opponent.
Nimble footed throughout, Joshua kept Ruiz effectively at bay making it t difficult for his adversary to land damaging shots or swing devastating upper cuts. Ruiz came in with deadly intents, seeking to unleash devastating blows at the start of each round, but Joshua carefully avoided being drawn into his opponent’s deadly baits. Rather Joshua landed several wildlife blows and a bruising sequence of jabs, that kept amassing him points to the chagrin of Ruiz. Joshua knee he was hitting the right punches and, at one point, he could afford to stick his tongue out at the champion to in order to frustrate him further. It was a night when it all worked for the better prepared, hungrier fighter in Anthony Joshua.

Yes, at a point Ruiz appeared to have briefly unsettled Joshua when he landed some tricky barrages to the back of Joshua’s head, but the British-Nigerian was clearly unhurt and it soon became clear that with Joshua effectively ahead on points, only a knockout would suffice for Ruiz. He tried to pursue this line but Joshua frustrated all moves to draw him in and land the killer punch akin to that of June.

Overall, it was a well deserved victory for AJ. It was a night when tactics overwhelmed brawn and superior tactics got the best of raw strength and massive flesh. Joshua’s game plan was to keep at his opponent without giving a quarter strong enough to make a repeat of the June debacle possible and I think he largely achieved that aim. That Saudi night proved that Joshua has come to stay and now the world can wonder what will happen next with either Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury. Meanwhile Joshua can afford to bask in the euphoria of a victory well deserved.

After the fight at the Diriyah Arena, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, promoter Eddie Hearn had this to say about the future and his view of Joshua: “Future plans are to celebrate and to celebrate hard. This man has responsible for the growth of British boxing. He won the title after 16 fights and he unified the belts after 19. They wrote him off, he was humiliated in Madison Square Garden, they said he was all hype. But he has come back. We got criticised for coming here, the reception we got from the people and the vision they have for boxing here is incredible. We are not going to talk about other fighters, he is the king.”

As for Andy Ruiz Jr, a rematch was on his mind. He said: “I want to do it again. I came in a bit heavy and if we do the third fight I am going to come in in the best LANGUAGE TIMOTHY shape. I got boxed. But I want to do it again. Thank you to everyone in Saudi Arabia. Who wants to see the third trilogy fight?”

Anthony Joshua was however very magnanimous in his victory: “First of all, I want to thank God. I want to say Bismillah!
A man like me don’t make excuses. Last time, I hurt him but I got caught. I wanted to show the sweet science of this lovely sport. It is about hitting, and not getting hit. Stay hungry, stay humble. I am hungry, I am humble in defeat and I am going to stay humble in victory. I have so much respect for Andy and his family. Thank you to God and to Eddie and Barry Hearn. I am not perfect but I am trying. I want to shout out Prince Khlaed and Prince Abdul Aziz.”

For a man whose performance was described as being “Superb, clever, athletic, brilliant and classy” by the best of boxing critics, what better vindication for the now irrelevant mishap of June? Anthony Joshua is surely the king.

Final Result: Anthony Joshua wins unanimous decision: 118-110. 118-110. 119-109.