Boxing art collector Ingo Wegerich explores the tales behind iconic combat art work, drawing on his in depth non-public assortment. This piece centres on Anthony Joshua’s redemption win over Andy Ruiz Jr.
Following the tragic accident on December 29, 2025, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State, Nigeria – through which two shut buddies and group members of Anthony Joshua, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, misplaced their lives – there was a interval of quiet round the two-time unified heavyweight champion.
As consideration turns again to ‘AJ’s subsequent transfer, we revisit certainly one of the defining moments of his profession – and the art work that captured it.
The Fight
The rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. on December 7, 2019, in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, was an occasion of extremes – sporting, monetary and logistical.
Six months earlier, late-substitute Andy Ruiz Jr. had shocked the boxing world at Madison Square Garden, knocking Joshua down 4 instances in seven rounds to assert the WBC, WBA, IBF and IBO titles. Comparisons to Mike Tyson’s defeat by Buster Douglas have been inevitable.
The rematch, titled Clash on the Dunes, was not solely the first heavyweight world championship staged in Saudi Arabia, but additionally an early marker of what has since turn into a brand new boxing Mecca.
The occasion got here with a unprecedented monetary bundle. Joshua reportedly earned between $60 million and $85 million, whereas Ruiz earned between $10 million and $13 million. The Diriyah Arena – an open-air stadium in the desert – was constructed in simply six weeks and held 15,000 spectators.
At the weigh-in, the distinction was clear. Ruiz tipped the scales at 283.7lbs, greater than 15lbs heavier than in the first combat, prompting options he had celebrated too lengthy. Joshua, against this, got here in at 237¾lbs – over 10lbs lighter than earlier than.
Inside the ring, the combat was managed and scientific. Joshua dictated the distance, stayed disciplined, and scored persistently behind his jab and footwork. Ruiz struggled to shut the hole or land something significant.
After 12 rounds, Joshua reclaimed his titles via unanimous decision. The combat generated roughly 1.5 million pay-per-view buys in the UK, making it certainly one of the finest-promoting occasions in British boxing historical past.
More importantly, Joshua had answered each query with a tactical masterclass.
The Artwork
Boxing News marked Clash on the Dunes with a placing painted cowl in vibrant shades of yellow, gold and brown, depicting each fighters in motion. The art work was created by Hall of Fame artist Richard T. Slone.
The color palette carries symbolic weight. Yellow, typically related to pressure and internal unrest, displays the nervous power earlier than the combat. Gold represents ambition, wealth and grandeur, whereas additionally evoking the Saudi setting. The tones collectively mirror desert sand – a deliberate reference to the occasion’s title. Brown provides a way of custom and timelessness.
The portray was accomplished earlier than the combat, which explains why it doesn’t replicate the eventual bodily disparity between the fighters. In Slone’s depiction, Joshua seems compact and highly effective, nearly gladiatorial, with sharply outlined musculature.
Both fighters are captured mid-trade. Their expressions convey focus and depth. Joshua’s eyes are closed, suggesting deep focus, whereas his punch seems to drive via Ruiz with drive and intent. Ruiz, mouth open, embodies exertion and dedication.
The phrase “Destroyer” is seen on Ruiz’s shorts – a nod to his nickname, earned via his aggressive, excessive-output model.
The Roman numeral “II” references the rematch, but additionally symbolises Joshua’s try to rebuild after defeat — mentally as a lot as bodily. The loss had shaken his identification as champion. Here, he seems composed, centered and resolute.
Slone’s brushwork is expressive and energetic. Through color, motion and symbolism, he transforms a sporting second into visible historical past with psychological depth.
The Artist
Richard T. Slone, a British-born artist now primarily based in Las Vegas, is extensively thought to be certainly one of boxing’s foremost painters.
A former protégé of Joe Frazier and a member of the famed Kronk Gym, Slone has served as the official artist of the International Boxing Hall of Fame since 1996.
He has been commissioned for a few of the sport’s greatest occasions, together with Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather vs Canelo Alvarez, Canelo vs Gennadiy Golovkin, and most lately Canelo vs Terence Crawford.
His work has featured on quite a few Ring Magazine and Boxing News covers, capturing the drama and emotion of boxing at the highest degree.
Personal Note
I’ve a private connection to this portray. I not solely personal it, however was additionally current at the combat in Saudi Arabia.
At the time, the expertise felt like an journey. The outside weigh-in was sparsely attended in comparison with different main occasions, and far of the environment centred round the fighters’ resort – intense, however intimate.
Shortly earlier than the combat, gentle rain started to fall. It jogged my memory of The Rumble in the Jungle, the place a heavy downpour adopted shortly after the bout.
It’s a visit I’ll always remember – and this portray stays a vivid reminder of that have.
Artwork Details
Ruiz Jr. vs Joshua II
Original, 2019
Richard T. Slone
Acrylic on canvas
36″ × 40″
Copyright Richard T. Slone. More of the assortment could be seen through Ingo Wegerich Fine Art Collection, or on Instagram.
