51 days to go: Oleksandr Usyk versus Anthony Joshua 2

When Anthony Joshua faced Andy Ruiz in a rematch 31 months ago, the fight was the most important of his career.  

Ruiz had ruined Joshua’s America homecoming by stopping the big brit in seven rounds at Madison Square Garden. The bout looked over in round three when Ruiz tasted the canvas for the first time in his career. Most of the sold-out crowd, and many fans viewing the fight on the sports-streaming service DAZN, weren’t surprised.

Ruiz, winner of 31 of 32 fights, DID look surprised. After going down from a combination, punctuated by a beauty of a left hook, Ruiz gazed at Joshua, and referee Michael Griffin like a guy startled by an earthquake.  

Ruiz got up at five, clear-eyed and steady. He nodded to Griffin, who wiped off his gloves. The crowd stood as Joshua went for the kill. Then it happened. Joshua lined up Ruiz with a left, stepped inside, and let fly with a thunderous right from his hometown. The blow landed perfectly, causing Ruiz to list a little. Joshua, who entered the bout with 21 stoppages in 22 fights, likely expected him to fall on his face.

Nope.

As Joshua went for the knockout, Ruiz absorbed, ducked, and punched. He landed two left hooks - the second landed above the right ear. Joshua stumbled back a step-wobbling like a toddler.

Ruiz instantly let his hands go, clipping Joshua with glancing headshots. The soon-to-be ex-champ fell to the canvas. He rose at seven on unsteady legs, a slight smile on his face. Ruiz went for the kill -clipping Joshua with shots, the first of which staggered him. He held on but never completely recovered. Ruiz would floor Joshua two more times en route to a seven-round stoppage.

Many advised Joshua to retire (silly) but he faced his loss. Social media was mocking him.

He was a joke - a piece of English china. The second fight would be different, his team said. Joshua was focused, lost weight, and worked on boxing more. Ruiz was heavier and slower.

The narrative flipped.

In New York, it was Joshua who looked over-confident and smug. In Saudi Arabia, site of the second fight, it was Ruiz who smiled like a guy with a secret. He did know that he’d already knocked out Joshua. He figured he’d do it again, extra weight or not.

Joshua jabbed and jabbed and jabbed some more. His change in strategy would lead to victory. How he won didn’t matter. What mattered is he did win. He had to if he wanted to remain near the top in today’s flawed heavyweight division.

Fifty-one days before his rematch with Usyk, Joshua is again the man in a box, but this time, the guy giving him the evil eye is a much better fighter than Andy Ruiz.

The Ukrainian native is the ultimate road warrior.  

Usyk captured his first world title six years ago by traveling to Gdańsk, Poland, and winning. He unified the cruiserweight division by edging Mairis Briedis at the World Boxing Super Series tournament two years later.

In the final, he faced power-punching Russian Murat Gassiev (in Moscow). Usyk boxed beautifully, playing Olay- en route to winning all 12 rounds.

Next up was former champion Tony Bellew – who had issued a challenge.

The bout was in London, where thousands of Bellew’s fans came out to support their man. The early rounds were tight. Usyk, like a scientist studying a bug under a hot light, began to time Bellew.

In round eight, Usyk stunned Bellew with a right and put him to sleep with a beautiful left to the jaw.

Moving up to heavyweight, Usyk struggled against Derek Chisora. Many thought a better heavyweight would roll over him. They figured it would be Joshua, fresh off a knockout victory over Kubrat Pulev.

The protected Joshua, and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, didn’t like it.

It took observing the opening round between the two to see why. Call it a foreshadowing of things to come. Usyk was bobbing, feinting, and weaving. Three-to-one favorite Joshua, picked by 19 of 21 writers to defeat Usyk, took it all in. He fired jabs at his mobile opponent. Usyk, fighting out of a southpaw stance, nailed Joshua with straight left hands to the chin and body. Repeat and execute.

Usyk easily won the early rounds, staggering Joshua in round three.

Joshua did better in rounds five and six, but Usyk, busier and more accurate, dominated round seven. Joshua tried, but Usyk cemented his victory in the 12th and final round, hurting him with combinations.

After his devastating loss, Joshua hired ace trainer Robert Garcia.

But will it help him defeat Usyk? Look for my preview coming soon.