A Champion Finds Himself in the Desert — An Identity Crisis Resolved
Redemption gained and, in the eyes of many, normality restored to the heavyweight division
The events of June 1st at Madison Square Garden, fixated in the minds of the boxing world and beyond, were no fluke. However, as Anthony Joshua, belts hoisted aloft alongside loved ones and associates, bellowed “Two Time!” into any and all microphones in the Diriyah Arena, whatever demons emerged from that aberration became well and truly exorcised.
Part one of this story, despite what history will undeniably suggest otherwise, saw Andy Ruiz come in with a game-plan tailored to Joshua’s flaws and executed it to perfection in a way nobody imagined he could. After seven blindsiding rounds, Andy won the battle, but under a clear shroud of riches and spoils, he erred in thinking that the war was over.
Whilst the new champion partied and bathed in widespread adulation, Joshua went immediately back to the drawing board. Some excuses were made, some soul searching was laid bare for the public to see. But the majority of the between then and December 7th was spent with his team, old and new, plotting his immediate frontal assault on doubters, critics and his new conqueror.
And, with a mixture of the expectant and the wealthy looking on in Saudi Arabia, that strategy was laid bare in full colour and to maximum effectiveness. The jab was sharpened, the punch selection was erudite and his newly spotted slender physique paid dividends as he was able to relaxedly glide around the ring whilst conserving energy. When cornered, his exits were seamless and secure. His killer instinct, which personified his rise to the top, was locked and tamed.
Joshua even demonstrated examples of his obtained apprenticeship from the Eastern European heavyweight boxing school. Whilst lacking the vigour and authority in the clinch of a Wladimir Klitschko, his general clinch work and control of Ruiz’s hands up close allowed him to prevent a fight breaking out in the midst of administering a boxing lesson to the plump and proud Mexican. Fully deserving of the wide decision verdict on the scorecards.
The character Anthony Joshua displayed in victory is uncommon and should not be overlooked. Especially for a man who has had his character dissected and ridiculed for most of his time at title level. He came in prepared and ready to counter Ruiz’s excellent game-plan from part one. A flabbier Ruiz tried everything he did last time, but this time to no avail. Bloodied by jabs and straights and made to miss with desperate leaping hooks. In this sense, the tables were turned in Saudi Arabia. Joshua showed he had more looks to give, whilst Ruiz, by just pressing forward aimlessly whilst hoping for Joshua to revert to his natural instincts, may have exposed his limitations once again when it truly mattered most. In turn, spurning the opportunity of a lifetime — an opportunity few get at crafting personal history.
However, like too much was made about what Joshua did wrong in New York, perhaps too much is and will be said about Ruiz being worse around this time. His true sin was the age old sin of complacency. Believing he was already good enough to beat any version of Joshua. Dismissing the possibility of Joshua working on his craft like many an observer did. Practicing mental warfare in the build whilst not realizing that there were much more important battles to be won. This setback was not as damaging as the one felt by Buster Douglas and Hasim Rahman. However for Ruiz, in comparison to those men, that is where the differences cease.
In June, his triumph, a real feel good story, invigorated many near and far. From the cynical boxing fans jaded by politics and divisions, to the overweight everyday man who glanced upon the the optics of a muscular Adonis being toppled by their equal. However, similarly, we shouldn’t neglect the now long lasting affinity Anthony Joshua has grown and maintained with his own domestic fan-base. The type of affinity that overcoming adversity in this way will only embolden.
A new era of British fans grew up with Anthony Joshua. Claiming gold at home, scoring highlight reel KO’s before proving his mettle against domestic rivals and respected contenders to this present day. Watching him develop from the ground up into one of the sport’s premier international attractions. Cheered on from ringside to pubs and bars on end on the select Saturday nights of a year. Commercially, he put in the legwork to build his following from the get-go. Now, in the space of a whirlwind six months, Joshua learned the hard way that his ring craft has to follow suit if he is to remain a divisional mainstay. He needed a fresh pugilistic identity to compliment his Instagram one.
In victory, Anthony Joshua may have just solved the identity crisis which has plagued him throughout his reign amongst the giants. Wladimir Klitschko pushed him towards a threshold in between being an all-action volume puncher and a cautious punch selector. Andy Ruiz sent him crashing face first into the latter domain – for better or worse. The safety first approach he once immaturely ridiculed Tyson Fury for displaying, maybe the approach which largely defines him from hereon-in.
As it relates to his pursuit of being the divisional kingpin, that style alone will not be enough for Joshua to fulfill all of his ambitions. Fury at his best already disarmed the master of the jab and grab, so the prospect of doing similar to the apprentice would be something he relishes. And, whilst spoiling and using lateral movement can minimize damage, it is still not enough to keep you out of the way of a Deontay Wilder right hand.
But, looking into the immediate future, the prospect of seeing those tussles are a pipe dream as we still sit within the wreckage of burnt promotional bridges. Joshua has more than earned the right to bask in his recent triumph and continue his education and enterprise in front of an endearing public at home or beyond. Next up – mandatory challenger time and potentially more lessons to be learned for Joshua during title reign number two.
Thanks to Gregory Kudryavtsev