News Flash: Joshua Flummoxes Ruiz in a Monotonous Fight

The first match between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr , staged this past June at Madison Square Garden, produced one of the biggest upsets ever in heavyweight boxing history. Did Ruiz, with his dough boy physique, have the blueprint to further erode AJ’s legacy?

That question was answered today in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, and the answer was “no.” While AJ didn’t emboss his legacy with a scintillating performance, Andy Ruiz, who had no “Plan B,” did nothing to erode it.

Holding tight to his game plan, Joshua controlled the range, keeping Ruiz on the outside where his offense was blunted. Joshua was content to jab his way to victory. Re-acquiring his world title belts took priority over giving the fans a fan-friendly fight.

Ruiz looked a bit heavier than in their first meeting, consistent with the pre-fight weigh-in where the scale measured 283 pounds. He was cut over his left eye in the opening round and Joshua suffered a small cut over the same eye in the next frame, but the cuts did not factor into the storyline.

The scores were 119-109 and 118-110 twice. “It was his night. I didn’t prepare how I should have,” Ruiz told Sky Sports after the fight.

Other Heavyweight Bouts

Michael Hunter (18-1-1) and Alexander Povetkin (35-2-1) fought to a draw in a good action fight highlighted by an entertaining seventh round in which both combatants were staggered. The scores were 115-113, 113-115, 114-114.

Hunter started fast, but Povetkin quickly narrowed the gap and had somewhat the best of it in the final round. The 40-year-old Russian still has a lot of smoke in his chimney.

In a ho-hum fight, perennial WBC #1 heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte (27-1, 18 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Poland’s 39-year-old Mariusz Wach (35-6). The scores were 98-93 and 97-93 twice.

Whyte, who was cleared by a British anti-doping agency on the eve of he fight, came in at 271 pounds, about 20 pounds above his best weight.

Filip Hrgovic, the fast-rising six-foot-six Croatian, dominated 37-year-old Tex-Mex Eric Molina (27-6) en route a third-round stoppage. Hrgovic, who improved to 10-0 (8) had Molina on the deck three. On his final trip, Molina was counted out.

Check back later for Thomas Hauser’s post-fight story.

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