Has Ruiz played a blinder with his weight?

I imagine Ruiz will be the same as usual, just maybe a tad slower and his gas tank not as good as it usually is, but he will still be 90-95% of his normal self. I doubt he has cut corners in training. I imagine the extra weight is down to him entering camp at a higher weight than normal and he hasn't been able to shift it all. It's not surprising considering the big win he had earlier in the year. You'd imagine he would have been partying and eating loads. When he entered camp, I imagine he has worked his arse off.

Joshua will be better for coming in lighter. He's a good in fighter, but not as good as Ruiz, so he will need to be more elusive and fight on the outside. What he has lost in strength and possible durability, he will have gained in stanima and fluidity. Two things he has sorely lacked, especially since bulking up.

It's a proper 50/50 fight for me due to the uncertainty of how AJ will handle his new body and, you would assume, new tactics.

Can't wait for the first bell.

 

Fascinating fight. This is by far the most excited I’ve been for a Joshua fight. I’ve never hid my dislike of the Joshua hype train but I want him to win this to shut the fickle fans who have turned on him up. Also it means Fury Wilder should happen and then potentially Joshua against Fury for all the belts... wow!!

 

I agree with this. Ruiz in the aftermath of the first win was very much like the guy who’s won the lottery. Kept mentioning about how this set him and his family up for life and how he could finally buy nice things. There was a feeble bit of talk about how the fight needed to be in the States or Mexico but here we are, and Ruiz is in Saudi Arabia, and fatter than ever.

I’m sorry but this just absolutely reeks of Douglas Holyfield. It was funny listening to Costello, Woodhall and Bunce on the Five Live podcast live at the weigh in. When Ruiz was announced there was a collective ‘they’ve got that wrong - they’ve read out the incorrect weight - we’re just waiting for Ruiz to be weighed again - hang on...’

 

But you’ve said they have signed for two rematches? One in February in Vegas, the other one after that. So when Ruiz is talking about a Wilder fight deal being agreed, when is that happening? 2021? And why has Wilder Fury II still not been announced?

It’s looking a hell of a lot like they’re waiting to see what happens here doesn’t it?

 

Have to agree.

Talking the talk means nothing.

Let’s see how Ruiz 2.0 looks in the ring...

 

I’m so torn over this fight. Going to save my money and enjoy.

Saw a quote from Ruiz saying the weight wasn’t a true reflection, he’d eaten 3 meals that day etc. It was also a bit of mind games.

The fact he’s saying that makes me think it’s bs.

 

The analogy is a simple one to understand. Fighter springs huge upset, suddenly gains wealth and fame like never before, turns up fat for the next fight. If this is intentional there is no obvious reason for it.

 

Well we know Joshua couldn't handle him at 267. If Joshua does beat him at 282, then it's safe to say that Ruiz was probably a bit out of shape for this one. Not the rematch most would hope for. No reason to fluctuate that heavy when he's only 6ft 2.

 

Ruiz could come in at twenty stone plus, chilled like a mofo, grinning from ear to ear with taco stains down his chin.. Joshua could go into camp for twelve weeks solid, completely reinvent himself, change his team, gameplan, weight, style, mindset and Ruiz will still make big Josh quit like a dog again.

reason being Ruiz is a fighter.

AJ is a finely tuned marketing product who’s career has been clinically manouvred off the back of a bought gold medal, a bought world belt from a pothead and a life and death war with a shot to pieces grey haired saggy backed former legend without a win in three four years who never fought again.

now AJ is in there with a dog. A dog who knows he has more heart , more stamina, more will to win than the PPV king. Ruiz knows AJs six millions insta likes per week (a new record) cant protect that glass jaw.

ruiz knows big joshs long term brand awareness alignment strategy with dr Dre isn’t going to refill his gas tank when it empties again after five or six rounds.

Ruiz is all smiles, Joshua is lost at sea to my acute eye. A broken man before the first bell.

 

So now Ruiz doesn’t need to train at all to win the fight? He isn’t superman and his stamina will run out pretty quick if he is woefully prepared. I’m backing Ruiz but let’s be real...

Edit- Im not saying he is badly prepared either, we won’t know until he gets in there, but to pretend he will beat Joshua whatever his physical state? That is severely underestimating an ex champ who is hungry for his titles back.

 

Why are you asking me these questions? I'm a boxing fan on an internet forum and I haven't got the details at hand unfortunately. I'm repeating what Fury, Wilder, Arum and Finkel have all said. Who said the third match was immediate? There's flexibility with these things Hayers. They're going to do what generates most money for all parties. That's how the sport works.

Perhaps they've been waiting until the day of AJ/Ruiz to announce the rematch? Admittedly, if it's not announced today and Ruiz wins, I'll be concerned about the February date for Wilder/Fury 2. However, it's out of my hands, chief.

 

its not really the same though, its a sudden injection of millions. For a guy that probably wasnt very disciplined to begin with, having access to that amount of money probably had some kind of effect. Hopefully he had his initial fun with it and got back to his training, but I cant blame people for seeing it as the underdog that made it big and enjoyed his winnings a bit too much. Its up to Ruiz to prove those people wrong, that the money means nothing in comparison to his goal.

 

Ruiz has always been fat. He has days when he doesn’t want to train and it’s common knowledge that he’ll go awol if he doesn’t fancy it and it drives Manny Robles mad. Last time out he went straight from one camp and the Dimitrenko fight into the AJ camp and fight. This time, his life changed overnight and he took 3 months off. He’s probably about 10lbs heavier than last time and for Ruiz that’s a normal weight.

 

The gain in fame and wealth may be a mitigating factor. If he has taken a lot more time off and so on. That surely is reasonable.

 

I can see that side of it, the guy is a fighter. but boxing is also about discipline, I cant see him reigning long with that mind set and his body will deteriorate over time, when he over 300lbs thats got to have a negative effect. I agree that he probably has the beating of Joshua this time round though. AJ seems desperate to me, the weight loss could backfire in his case and Ruiz still seems quick enough to catch him early ish.