Erick W. Rasco/SI
DIRIYAH, Saudi Arabia — Depending on who you were—Anthony Joshua or Andy Ruiz, Eddie Hearn or Manny Robles—inside the ring on Saturday night, with specially made placards commemorating the Ruiz-Joshua rematch raining down like confetti, your emotions ran the gamut.
For Joshua, ecstasy. Last June, Joshua lost. He was humiliated, knocked down four times in what was supposed to be a showcase fight against Ruiz in his U.S. debut. He was publicly humiliated, with social media tattooing him as a quitter and peers dissecting his performance. He was encouraged to fire his trainer, change his camp, even pass on an immediate rematch in favor of a few softer touches to rebuild his confidence.