Joshua made $20 million+ on that fight, didn't have the kind of fight that did real damage to his brain, and put himself in a position to enjoy more big pay days. That's just smart.
Beyond that, I actually really liked what I saw from him. I have always maintained that he was overweight - too muscular to be an effective fighter. Seeing the way he moved last night, for 12 rounds, with energy to spare by the end, was very encouraging. He has a long way to go - he doesn't have a long amateur career, so he still has quite a lot of room to progress as a pro technically and strategically.
Ruiz was a limited opponent, of course, and Joshua will need to be more destructive in future if people are going to keep buying tickets. At the end of the day though, he suffered an embarrassing loss, and just needed to get back on track. He did that like a consumate pro, and has all my respect for how he has handled himself from the moment he lost to regaining his titles last night. Anyone who's ever lost a boxing match in front of a bunch of their mates knows just how humiliating it is, and to execute a game plan like that over 12 rounds (and the six months previously where he clearly did everything right), is much harder than it seems to the casual fan. Joshua, to me, showed just what a worthy champion he is last night.
Beyond that, I actually really liked what I saw from him. I have always maintained that he was overweight - too muscular to be an effective fighter. Seeing the way he moved last night, for 12 rounds, with energy to spare by the end, was very encouraging. He has a long way to go - he doesn't have a long amateur career, so he still has quite a lot of room to progress as a pro technically and strategically.
Ruiz was a limited opponent, of course, and Joshua will need to be more destructive in future if people are going to keep buying tickets. At the end of the day though, he suffered an embarrassing loss, and just needed to get back on track. He did that like a consumate pro, and has all my respect for how he has handled himself from the moment he lost to regaining his titles last night. Anyone who's ever lost a boxing match in front of a bunch of their mates knows just how humiliating it is, and to execute a game plan like that over 12 rounds (and the six months previously where he clearly did everything right), is much harder than it seems to the casual fan. Joshua, to me, showed just what a worthy champion he is last night.