Andrés Ponce Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua II

Joshua UD but experiences some trouble. I'm thinking a lower contact version of Wladimir/Peter I.

 

Joshua UD. Ref might not allow as much in fighting. Joshua might be back on the gear.

I just feel this is gonna be nothing like the first, Joshua noticeably lost bulk. Just my opinion. Like 9-3 Joshua.

 

Ruiz is the better boxer, and a more natural fighter than Joshua but I just have a feeling the motivational shift will favour AJ. In the first fight, I'm sure he assumed he would win, but not this time.

He's also comfortable in the middle east, whereas to Ruiz, the whole experience will be new and potentially unsettling. And I just sense he's already found the comfort zone of unexpected wealth, and will not benefit from back-to-back camps as was the case prior to the first fight.

Separately, these are all small margins in terms of influencing the actual fight, but added together and they just might be the difference in a match-up that only needs minor shifts of emphasis to make a major impact on how these two gel.

A cautious vs Parker-esque jab and grab points win for Joshua - or potentially a TKO at the behest of the ref - partly due to a slightly lighter, more switched on and tactically disciplined Joshua, partly due to a fractionally diminished Ruiz.

Having said all that, it's still possible this card gets cancelled....

 

Ruiz decision.

AJ is gonna go in there to survive and get outworked.

 

I dunno, scorecards are gonna sway much in favour of aj if it goes the full 12. Especially if there’s no knockdowns etc

 

I'm going to stick with my first prediction - I apparently overestimated AJ's wisdom first time, but he would be a moron to get caught in the moment and throw caution to the wind like he did first time.

While AJ was not coping with a bit of concussion, and when he was being systematic he was ultimately in relative control of the fight - he was up against a live opponent, but he was clearly the stronger side of the battle and the way Ruiz had to fight he was not going to be able to maintain the pace. The same happened with Ruiz against Parker, Ruiz was dangerous and very effective for the first few rounds but Parker dealt with and adjusted to his style better so as the rounds get on the "high speed" aggressive attacks which were effective in the early rounds become too taxing and slow down, and take their toll. Parker was not quite good enough/strong enough at the time to hurt Ruiz, but still managed to make up the lost ground.

If AJ doesn't try to engage at range then Ruiz will become less dangerous and it makes it easier for AJ to keep him at the end of a jab/the odd stiff straight right hand and Ruiz becomes more susceptible to walking into an uppercut when he tries to rush in, and then the fatigue will start setting in. I'll go with a late round stoppage by AJ after some turbulence, and hopefully enough to show that Ruiz winning first time wasn't an outright fluke and if anything confirms that actually AJ *does* deserve to hold a title, but Ruiz is also an extremely strong contender.

 

Joshua will work behind the jab and straight right. Ruiz will walk him down with jabs to the body and try and get on the inside, which he will. Can Joshua take a good shot and can he tie Ruiz up effectively.

Joshua UD or late stoppage if he can still take a shot.

 

Joshua by ko this time.

 

Improve stamina, lose bulk, hope Ruiz is over confident, smother Ruiz, favourable ref, favourable swing rounds, don’t get his nose messed up as this seems to really bother him

 

Don't see it going any different from the first fight.