A former world heavyweight boxing titleholder stated he had no intention of applying excessive force following an incident where significant harm was inflicted.
Anthony Joshua’s victory against Jake Paul in the previous month contributed another stoppage to his career statistics, elevating his total to 26 KOs across 29 professional victories.
The raw power of Joshua has consistently been undeniable. Throughout his time as a leading contender in the weight class, he has decisively defeated notable opponents such as Francis Ngannou and Wladimir Klitschko.
However, “AJ” has also experienced being halted prematurely in contests on two occasions, and the initial professional boxer to defeat him – a fighter who astonished the globe with one of the sport’s most significant surprises – continues to possess that equivalent bout-altering strength.
Andy Ruiz confesses he intended no harsh treatment toward the online broadcaster after causing an injury.
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Andy Ruiz’s triumph against Joshua in 2019 represented one of the most astonishing upsets in contemporary heavyweight boxing annals, as he entered the bout as a last-minute substitute and a significant long shot.
He endured several challenging initial phases prior to knocking down ‘AJ’ on four occasions and securing a stoppage victory in the seventh round.
Subsequent to that memorable evening at Madison Square Garden, Ruiz has competed just four times. Among those encounters was a direct second fight against Joshua.
The most recent showing by the 36-year-old was not against a conventional boxing adversary, but instead against an online personality known as Oblivion.
The online personality wore protective headgear during the practice session and absorbed multiple forceful blows prior to being floored by a right-handed strike. Subsequent video evidence depicted his jaw emitting a distinct snapping noise.
Ruiz expressed regret for the incident, declaring he “had no desire to proceed in this manner.” Oblivion subsequently reported experiencing a “loss of consciousness” after the impact.
Andy Ruiz acknowledges committing a significant mistake prior to his second confrontation with Anthony Joshua.
After his knockout victory against Joshua in June 2019, Ruiz received a tremendous opportunity later in the same year when they immediately engaged in a second fight.
Achieving another win against the British boxer would have immediately solidified his standing among the global top-tier heavyweights, validating that his first triumph was not a mere stroke of luck.
On this subsequent occasion, however, Joshua emerged victorious, skillfully evading peril by employing his agility to secure a comfortable win across all 12 rounds.
In the aftermath of the match, Ruiz contemplated the defeat: “I hesitate to state that a quarter-year of celebration impacted my performance, but honestly, it did.”
“My excess weight impeded my performance because I was attempting only one or two punches, whereas typically I would throw three or four. It ultimately overwhelmed me.”
