Boxing: Anthony Joshua exacts revenge to reclaim heavyweight boxing titles

Anthony Joshua celebrates victory over Andy Ruiz Jr in Riyadh. Photo / Getty

Anthony Joshua has reclaimed his place at the top of the heavyweight division after thoroughly outboxing Andy Ruiz in their rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua stuck-and-moved his way to a dominant points win (119-109 118-110 118-110) to take back the belts Ruiz ripped from his grasp in New York in June.

"The first time was so nice, I had to do it twice," said Joshua, after reclaiming the IBF, WBA and WBO titles. "You know the saying, stay hungry, stay humble."

The Brit responded to the first defeat of his career with a professional performance that presented few openings for the American to inflict the damage he did in their first meeting.

Joshua boxed well, but also benefited from Ruiz's unwillingness – or inability – to bring the fight to him. He's already facing criticism over his condition after arriving to the ring far heavier than he did at Madison Square Garden.

Both men said they were open to a trilogy but this encounter wasn't worth watching twice.

Andy Ruiz Jr suffered a cut above his eye in the opening round. Photo / Getty

Joshua, much like Wladimir Klitschko used to do, stayed extremely disciplined because the times he overcommitted were when he looked most vulnerable.

But he landed the better shots too, opening up a cut over Ruiz's eye in the first round and some nice left hooks to the head and body.

"I don't want to give no excuses. He won, he boxed me around," Ruiz said. "If we do it again I'll get in the best shape of my life."

Anthony Joshua suffered a cut above his eye in round two of the fight. Photo / Getty

Promoter Eddie Hearn was non-committal when asked what was next. "The future plan is to celebrate – and celebrate hard," Hearn said.

"They wrote (Joshua) off. They said he was all hype. Tonight he was the governor. He's the governor of the division."