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Britain's Anthony Joshua (right) won the rematch of the game against Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr on 7 December 2019. Andrew Couldridge / Reuters

Six months after his surprise loss and the loss of his belts against the Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr, Anthony Joshua took revenge on Saturday, December 7th. In Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, the British heavyweight beat his opponent on points and took over the world champion IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO belts.

The king is back. Detained in New York early June for what was one of the biggest surprises in the history of boxing, at the height of the famous Tyson-Douglas in 1990, Anthony Joshua resumed his good this Saturday, December 7, 2019. Far from London, his favorite playground. Far from New York, place of its heavy fall six months ago. It is in Saudi Arabia, in the Diriyah Arena, that the Briton has won back the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO world heavyweight champion belts.

Joshua sharpened, Ruiz Jr much heavier

At New York's Madison Square Garden, Andy Ruiz Jr caused an earthquake by beating champion Joshua by knockout, unable to cope with the hammer blows of his challenger. With his overweight and his relative anonymity, Ruiz Jr had signed a resplendent victory.

Since then, the two boxers have taken different paths while waiting for their second face-to-face. The new world champion has gained weight. Weighed at 122 kilos in June, Ruiz Jr was almost 129 kilos this December 7th. Joshua has metamorphosed. He lost 5 kilos and appeared very sharp in Saudi Arabia, 107 kilos. It had not been so light since 2014.

This difference of almost 23 pounds between the two men was important in this rematch.

Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr, December 7, 2019. Andrew Couldridge / Reuters

Joshua while mastering

In the first round, the pattern of the fight was drawn: a Joshua mastering the distance with jabs and a Ruiz Jr seeking the body-to-body. The Mexican (who also has US nationality) wanted to talk again his power and speed. The Brit did not forget what lost him in New York. So, he took care to keep Ruiz Jr at bay.

Very moving on his legs, precise in his strokes, Anthony Joshua followed his plan to the letter. Andy Ruiz Jr, he was not able to lead this fight in the same fight that six months ago. Sometimes his fast fists made the threat hover. But Joshua, even shook at times as at the end of the fourth round, has always avoided this pitfall. His physical preparation and all his disputed sparrings made a clear difference.

Anthony Joshua once again became world heavyweight champion by defeating Andy Ruiz Jr on December 7, 2019. Andrew Couldridge / Reuters

Is a Joshua-Ruiz Jr III possible?

It is certain that this revenge was less spectacular than the New York chapter. But tactically, Joshua managed a good performance. And at the end of the twelve rounds, the result was obvious. Unanimously, the three judges granted a logical victory to the British.

Anthony Joshua becomes the fourth heavyweight in history to become world champion in his rematch just after the loss of his belts, after Floyd Patterson (against Ingemar Johansson in 1960), Mohamed Ali (against Leon Spinks in 1978) and Lennox Lewis (against Hasan Rahman in 2001).

After Joshua's victory, Ruiz Jr took his defeat and admitted to having " gained too much weight ". The two boxers also evoked the idea of ​​a "beautiful". Andy Ruiz Jr won the first fight, Anthony Joshua took the revenge: will there be a third match to decide for good their rivalry? Case to follow. But with these two, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, the heavyweight category is no shortage of first class boxers.