Joshua Reclaims Heavyweight Boxing Crown from Ruiz in ‘Clash On The Dunes’
Six months after losing his unified heavyweight crown to Andy Ruiz Jr, British boxer Anthony Joshua wrestled back his title from the Mexican-American pugilist via a unanimous points decision in what was touted as a ‘Clash on the dunes’ at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia on December 7th.
In their first encounter in June, Ruiz shocked the World Heavyweight Champion by attacking Joshua at the onset and knocking him to the canvas on four occasions during his stoppage victory.
Joshua came prepared for the rematch with an educated game plan which saw him stay out of his opponent’s range and effectively counter punch when the opportunity presented itself.
The Fight In Numbers
- More than 60% of Joshua’s punches were jabs
- Joshua fought 93% of the fight at a distance
- Joshua threw 157 punches and landed 53
- Ruiz landed just 23% of his punches
- Ruiz landed just 18% of his jabs
Joshua overcame the concussion he had suffered against Ruiz in his first fight. Contact sports like boxing have been in the spotlight recently due to a series of fatalities in the ring.
- In October 2019: American boxer Patrick Day passed away after sustaining a brain injury.
- In July 2019: Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev, Argentina’s Hugo Santillan, and Boris Stanchov sustained fatal injuries.
Professional boxers rely on protective gear like mouthguards for protection in the ring.
How Does a Mouthguard Protect Boxers?
- Protects against lost and cracked teeth
- Prevents fractures of roots, crowns, cheekbones, and jawbones
- Prevents teeth from being pushed out of the socket
- Prevents injury to soft tissue
Despite the obvious advantages of using mouthguards in contact sports like boxing, a recent Delta Dental Survey, pointed out that of the parents surveyed, 34% indicated that their children entered the boxing ring without mouthguards.
Statistics Worth Considering
- Up to 90% of orofacial and dental traumas in contact sports happen to the upper lip, upper jaw, and front teeth.
- In a study, over 59% of dental injuries suffered in boxing were tooth fractures.
Makura Sport Mouthguards
Leading mouthguard manufacturers like Makura Sport offer impact and innocuous tested protection of boxers of all ages. Makura recommends the TEPHRA MAX series of mouthguards for boxers as it provides the highest level of impact resistance available for mouth-adapted mouthguards and features SHOKBLOCKER, FLEXICORE, and GELFORM technology that keeps boxers protected and comfortable.
Boxers click here for complete protection
At Makura Sport, our mission is simple: to provide you with mouthguards that exceed expectations and make us the protection of choice for athletes around the world. Contact us today to learn more!
Read more about safety in sport from Makura:
New Season, New Mouthguard
Why mouthguards Matter In American Football
Why Mouthguards Matter In Field Hockey