Amir Khan, fans praise Joshua strategy after big win

SHOWS: DIRIYAH, SAUDI ARABIA (DECEMBER 8, 2019)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. PEOPLE WALKING OUTSIDE DIRIYAH ARENA - SITE OF ANTHONY JOSHUA V ANDY RUIZ HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT

2. CROWD FOLLOWING FORMER LIGHT-WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION AMIR KHAN

3. (SOUNDBITE)(English) FORMER LIGHT-WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION AMIR KHAN SAYING:

"But it was a great fight, he (Joshua) did what he had to do, he had to box him, be smart. I mean if I was his coach I would have told him the same thing, box just don't get involved, you know be smart, I mean don't stand there and start trading, and his footwork was amazing so, yeah man, credit to him."

4. FANS TAKING PICTURE WITH KHAN

5. (SOUNBITE)(English) FORMER LIGHT-WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION AMIR KHAN SAYING:

"I think he (Ruiz) was just too heavy to be honest with you and I think he just slowed himself down being that heavy but I think that AJ is exactly, did what he had to do, and with Ruiz I think he just took the game plan wrong, he thought by putting a lot of weight on it was gonna make him stronger but I think in a way it made him slower so he had, so like kinda worked toward his advantage."

6. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF ARENA.

7. (SOUNDBITE)(English) SAUDI BOXING FAN YOSIF AQEEL SAYING:

"It was an amazing fight, first of it's kind in Saudi Arabia. It was amazing, the bout was amazing, the fight was, also amazing, congratulations to Joshua and bad luck to Ruiz, and we look forward for, as they said, the trilogy, and hopefully here in Saudi Arabia and more events like this, hopefully."

8. MEXICAN COUPLE WAVING MEXICAN FLAG

9. (SOUNBITE)(English) MEXICAN FAN LAYLA KHALIL SAYING:

"I think he (Ruiz) gained some weight, in comparison to the last fight, and I think he wasn't quick enough tonight."

10. FANS WALKING AFTER FIGHT

11. (SOUNBITE)(English) JORDANIAN FAN SAFFA MOHAMMED SAYING:

"More than happy, it's like, amazing. This, I expected that actually, 'cause when I saw him (Joshua) he lost weight and I think he, he thought of this strategy that he's gonna have for the fight which is be light and, you know, like jabbing from a distance, which it worked perfectly."

12. PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF SIGNS "CLASH OF THE DUNES RUIZ JOSHUA 2"

13. (SOUNBITE)(English) AMERICAN FAN TARIK MAHMOOD SAYING:

"Yeah definitely, I mean he did what he (Joshua) had to do to win, it wasn't the prettiest of fights and went to a little (Floyd) Mayweather tactic and, I mean, backed up through the fight, it's really impressive because you've never seen him do that through his career so for him to put a fight plan together in three months time and execute it for the full 12 rounds, it was a little bit impressive, it was clear he didn't want to mix it up with Ruiz and, I mean, that was his game plan 'cause, you know, he wouldn't have won if he mixed it up with him."

14. SIGN "CLASH OF THE DUNES RUIZ JOSHUA 2"

STORY: Britain's Anthony Joshua beat Andy Ruiz Jr on a unanimous points decision in Saudi Arabia on Sunday (December 7) to seize back the heavyweight world championship belts he lost to his Mexican-American opponent in a shock upset last June.

The 'Clash on the Dunes' in Diriyah was for the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles and Joshua dictated the pace from the start with a measured approach that showed he had learned from the mistakes of the past.

Going into the 12th and final round, Ruiz needed a knockout to pull off another upset but it never came.

The judges scored the fight 118-110, 118-110 and 119-109 to the 30-year-old Briton.

California-based Ruiz had stopped the previously undefeated champion in the seventh round at New York's Madison Square Garden last June.

Joshua described that shock defeat, to a flabby-looking opponent drafted in as a late replacement, as no more than a 'minor setback' but was happy to take back the belts.

Another loss in the early hours of Sunday would have sent the 2012 Olympic super-heavyweight champion's career into freefall, with some saying already after the last fight that the Briton was finished.

He had shown with his preparations, however, that he meant business -- stepping into the ring lighter than ever and giving away more than three stones to Ruiz who had weighed in considerably heavier than in their first showdown.

(Production: Oliver Regan and David Grip)