Andy Ruiz Jr.’s seventh-round TKO of Anthony Joshua to become the unified world heavyweight champion certainly shocked the world.
However, the startling results could have very well concluded even earlier via a third-round TKO in favor of Ruiz.
The likes of Sylvester Stallone, Mike Tyson, James “Buster” Douglas and more analyze that in DAZN’s “One Night” documentary looking back on the magical June 1 evening when the 15-1 underdog defied the odds and pulled off the upset.
After being knocked down with a left hook in the third round, Ruiz returned the favor by blasting Joshua in the temple and subsequently knocking down the British boxer in the same frame. Joshua on very wobbly legs was prime picking for Ruiz to pounce on, as the "Destroyer" used a barrage of punches to score a second knockdown in that third round.
Right then and there, the referee registered a count and instructed Joshua to walk to him. Joshua didn’t do the walk, however, as it was clear that he was hurt.
“He doesn’t walk, and I was wondering what the ref was thinking,” Stallone says analyzing the third round in “One Night.” “I said ‘This guy has a concussion or something close to it.’”
Douglas thought the moment offered the ref enough evidence to stop the bout, but understands why he let it continue.
“Yeah, he could have stopped it when he gave the champion the benefit of the doubt,” Douglas says, “which is normal.”
Tyson added that the ref was “trying to save him, trying to give him time.”
Although Joshua tried to battle back over the next few rounds, his time ran out in the seventh round after Ruiz delivered two more knockdowns, prompting the ref to end it when AJ once again didn’t respond well to his direction.
But that seventh-round TKO could have very well been a third-round TKO ... with little to no arguments against it.
Watch at the 22:45 mark of the "One Night" documentary at the top of the article to see the full set of comments about the closing moments of the third round.
Ruiz and Joshua are set for their rematch fight this Saturday in Saudi Arabia, live on DAZN.