It was business as usual for Anthony Joshua as he dominated Andy Ruiz to regain three world titles.

The boxing world was shocked last June when Ruiz beat Joshua by TKO in New York in one of heavyweight boxing's biggest ever shocks.

But there was no repeat in Saudi Arabia as Joshua proved to be too classy for the Mexican.

Scarcely a punch had been thrown in a cagey first round which burst into life moments before the bell when a ramrod right-hand from Joshua opened a cut at the side of Ruiz's left eye.

Joshua was also cut around the left eye after a livelier second round, in which the Briton worryingly shipped two of the swinging lefts which had conquered him in New York.

Fortunately for Joshua, Ruiz's first significant punch carried little snap and the challenger responded with a left of his own before a right hand in a clinch from Ruiz drew blood.

An almost lifeless round three saw the pair circling each other in search of a rare opening, but Joshua will have been pleased that the opening exchanges appeared to be going to plan.

Joshua was still showing an alarming propensity to switch off and swung his head dangerously low early in the seventh but a chasing Ruiz failed to take advantage.

The action got more scrappy in the eighth as Ruiz barged in behind a right hand, and an exchange on the bell saw both men land and Joshua emerge and eat his chest, mouthing "my round" at his opponent.

Every time Joshua was drawn in close the momentum swung in Ruiz's favour and a left-right combination in the ninth served as another example as the Mexican instantly responded by dragging the challenger into danger.

But the Englishman held out to claim a comfortable points victory in the Middle East.