Anthony Joshua was a hero of British boxing, first coming through as an amateur in the 2012 London Olympics and winning gold before going on to professional status and becoming the unified heavyweight champion twice.
Ruiz, on the other hand, was a successful fighter and no mistake, but he had not faced the sort of competition Joshua had in his career, and no one fancied him in this fight, as evidenced by the odds.
Joshua was at odds of around 1/25 (1.04 in decimal) to win, while Ruiz could be backed for between 10/1 and 12/1 depending on when and where you bet.
William Hill said that 90% of the bets placed with them were actually on Ruiz, but 90% of the money was on Joshua. That means that a few people were staking large sums on the champion but many more were placing small stakes on Ruiz.
The worst bet on record though, was placed in Nevada. An unknown punter staked $100,000 on Joshua to win the fight, which would have gained them a meagre $5,000 – so they got odds of 1/20.
As we know, Joshua lost, so that $100k went straight to the bookies. I wonder who’s head was hurting the most in the morning – Anthony Joshua, or that losing punter?
How the Fight was Won and Lost
The fight took place on June 1, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was Joshua’s US debut and he was defending his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles, so it was a huge deal.
Joshua started the fight strong, knocking down Ruiz in the third round with a crisp combination. However, Ruiz quickly recovered, proving to be a stubborn and resilient opponent, absorbing a powerful hook before surprising Joshua with his own speed and power.
Ruiz then responded with a vengeance. He floored Joshua twice in the same round, altering the momentum of the fight and seeing Joshua saved by the bell but on very shaky legs.
Despite Joshua’s height and reach advantage, Ruiz’s hand speed and counter-punching ability continued to prove effective. His quick combinations and ability to close the distance troubled Joshua throughout the rest of the fight, and with the British champion already rattled by those surprise knockdowns, he never really recovered.
In the seventh round, Ruiz landed a few heavy shots on Joshua, causing him to hit the canvas twice more. After the fourth knockdown, Joshua looked unwilling to continue, seeking guidance from his corner, before the referee eventually stopped the fight, declaring Andy Ruiz Jr. the winner by TKO.
The pair would meet again in December of the same year, and although Joshua managed to win that time, the odds were much much closer.