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Anthony Joshua becomes two-time world champion with revenge victory over Andy Ruiz Jr


A faultless Anthony Joshua became a two-time world
champion with a disciplined and slick points victory over
Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia.

After suffering one of the biggest upsets in boxing history
six months ago, Joshua gained revenge over Ruiz and
reclaimed the WBA (Super), IBF and WBO titles he lost to the
Mexican.

All three judges saw it as a wide points decision for Joshua,
118-110, 118-110 and 119-109, who controlled the fight
from the very first second.

Joshua began the first round behind his jab, as Ruiz took the
centre of the ring. Joshua was patient, but took the round in
the final seconds when he landed a right hand on Ruiz’s
temple.

That punch opened up a cut, but the defending champion
reminded Joshua of the danger he possesses by firing off a
painful jab in the second. Joshua responded with a left hook,
but the Brit suffered a cut of his own above his left eye from
a clash of heads.

Joshua continued to fight at long range in the third and again
edged a close round with a slick combination that ended
with a hook to the body.

Ruiz was edging closer to Joshua in the fourth round and
eventually found his target when he wobbled his rival with a
right hook.

The challenger complained that shot and the follow-ups were
behind the head as he returned to his corner, but he
regained his composure in the fifth and returned to setting
the pace.

The halfway stage of the fight saw Joshua exchange briefly
up close for the first time, and he came off worse, but a
defiant Joshua stuck his tongue out at Ruiz to signal heJoshua stepped up the pace again in the seventh, while a
frustrated Ruiz was told off by the referee for repeatedly
hitting his opponent behind the head.

Ruiz went to the body in the eighth round and almost
dragged Joshua into a dog fight by striking him in the clinch
and continued to hit AJ on the back of the head. Ruiz then
worried Joshua with a succession of shots before the Brit
stepped back out behind his jab.

wasn’t hurt.Start of the ninth and Rob McCracken was screaming at his
fighter from the corner: ‘Keep boxing!’ Ruiz fell back on his
excellent countering, but Joshua landed cleanly in the closing
seconds of the round.

Ruiz continued to try and close the distance, but Joshua kept
the fight long and refused to tee off with his opponent, and
refused to deter from his game plan.

The final round saw the defending champion needing a
knockout, but Joshua danced away at every opportunity.

 The
fight ended with Ruiz vocally urging Joshua to engage with
him, but his efforts were in vain and Joshua celebrated at the
final bell.

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