Heavyweight Boxers, Usyk and Joshua, Rematch in Saudi Arabia

Joshua won Olympic gold in 2012 at superheavyweight, then won 22 straight pro bouts and claimed three of the four major sanctioning bodies’ titles — all before his U.S. debut against Andy Ruiz at Madison Square Garden in June 2019.

Joshua, with his chiseled physique and punching power, figured to dominate Ruiz, a pudgy counterpuncher from Southern California. Instead, Joshua lost by a shocking seventh-round knockout. He had been outfoxed, for the first time, by a smaller, more tactically sound opponent.

Joshua defeated Ruiz in a rematch six months later — in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia — and defended his titles once more before losing to Usyk.

At a pre-fight news conference, Joshua said the titles themselves were less important than the preparation that made him a champion in the first place.

“That’s all at the end of the target,” said Joshua, who weighed just over 244 pounds on Friday. “It’s not like I’m skipping the process. Focus on the process.”

Joshua did not explain whether his process had changed since his loss to Usyk, but he hired a new trainer, Robert Garcia, who is based in Oxnard, Calif., to prepare him for the rematch.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/19/sports/usyk-joshua-fight-saudi-arabia.html