FanSided’s 2019 boxing awards and review of boxing’s best moments

2019 Round of the Year: Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. round 3

The most obvious award on this list might be for Round of the Year. Round 3 of the first bout between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. was the most captivating of 2019.

On June 1, Joshua was supposed to make his U.S. debut against Jarrell Miller. That all changed weeks before the fight as Miller tested positive for every PED under the sun. In stepped Ruiz as the last-minute replacement.

Ruiz’s skills as a boxer were highly underrated. Casual boxing fans dismissed him because of his unimpressive physique. Joshua also took his new foe lightly, but that proved to be a huge mistake.

Ruiz was as much as 15-1 underdog heading in to fight night. In the early going, it didn’t look like Joshua was going to have a problem with Ruiz.

In round 3, Joshua found his mark and dropped Ruiz with a left hook. He was dazed but made it to his feet and kept fighting. Joshua thought he was about to finish Ruiz, but he was very wrong. Ruiz went on to surprise everyone.

Ruiz had his “Rocky” moment and caught Joshua with a left hook that wobbled his legs. He followed it with a clubbing right that put Joshua down. He got up, but Ruiz sent him to the canvas again with a vicious flurry in the closing seconds of the round.

Joshua made it out of the round, but Ruiz went from overmatched challenger to favorite in a single round. He ended the fight in round 7, but it was round 3 the changed the complexion of the battle and produced the most drama in three minutes in 2019.

Ruiz became the new heavyweight champion in a stunning upset.