Everyone expected the fight not to go the distance.
Either Ruiz would have Joshua's number and TKO him again.
Or Joshua would train like a man possessed and KO Ruiz in revenge.
It was so easy to predict because everyone had seen their fights in the past.
Everyone knew what type of fighters they were.
Joshua would always use his power to win the fight aiming to KO his opponent.
He was a fighter that came forward, never fighting off the back foot.
He would try to box but naturally was a brawler.
While Ruiz had the fastest hands in the division, catching his opponent out of nowhere with a fury of punches Mexican style.
Ruiz didn't have great footwork but he made up for it with his speed and granite chin.
And it proved successful beating Joshua via TKO in Madison Square Garden, making it the biggest shock in the modern era of boxing.
While Ruiz was the same fighter like before, Joshua was completely different.
Instead of coming forward he fought off the back foot, making space between him and Ruiz.
Instead of going in with heavy punches he utilised his jab picking his punches.
Every time Ruiz tried to land a punch on the inside Joshua would dodge and clinch him, smothering his attack.
Joshua made himself awkward, made himself hard to hit, used his size and reach.
The sweet science of boxing is to hit and not get hit, and Joshua did just that for 12 rounds.
But it wasn't his fighting style that was different, it was even his physique.
Instead of being heavy with muscle and having a bodybuilder physique, Joshua came in much lighter with less muscle, making himself slimmer.
This made him quicker in the ring to avoid Ruiz's fast hands, and also made him less prone to getting tired because he wasn't carrying so much weight.
Even his appearance was different.
Joshua wasn't clean cut, instead he had a unkept beard and his hair was growing out.
It just showed he only had eyes for this fight, nothing else.
It felt like I was looking at Joshua's smaller scuffer twin, but with a purpose.
Joshua had changed everything about himself to win.
While Ruiz didn't change anything, just gained more weight.
The gulf in quality was there to see.
The one dimensional fighter vs the fighter that can mix things up.
The lose was a blessing in disguise because it forced Joshua to be a better fighter.
To expand his skill set.
To show he can do more then throw heavy punches and win by KO.
But that can be clever, outbox his opponent for 12 straight rounds.
Discipline himself, pick when to attack and when to defend.
And stick to the plan.
The best people in their profession can change like a chameleon, shake up their style for the win.
Thats why when I am practicing I don't try and do one style of thinking, I spread myself out.
I'll make sure my traditional advertising is up to scratch with my untraditional advertising, so that I can switch between them when trying to crack a brief.
So that I have a plan B, C, D, E and F.
This fight was an inspiring example.
Never limit yourself, mix it up like Joshua.
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