I think Hearn and AJ played a blinder getting him in the rematch so quickly. It is like the SRL/Duran rematch, they got Roberto in while he still appeared to be hung-over from all the celebratory carousing he had been doing in the preceding months.
I think you could see the genuine regret he had in the post fight interview. As if the full reality was kicking in that he had blown his chance and had no one to blame but himself. He is now a name but he is also right in the Who Needs Him Club. It's going to be a long way back for Ruiz.
Very good point and comparison. Thinking about it, Ruiz pushed back quite hard on the rematch first and that's why it took a while to announce, with venues etc being argued over. Ruiz was probably partying not thinking about the fight, but Hearn dangled a very expensive carrot that Ruiz couldn't say no to.
Reading a bit more from various sources, Manny wanted him in camp and living in the same house in July and he turned up in September, overweight, then lost some, then put lots more back on and was living it up with a house full of buddies. It's all a bit sad, apart from the 15 mill he got. When I saw him stuffing the pizza on top of his pasta in that "day in the life" series, it reminded me of Thurman being filmed eating pizza just a few hours before losing to Pacman. Stay away from the pizza!
Ruiz Jnr was a fat lump in both fights, he just got found out by someone who realised they had to readjust, AJ was always going to do that and he must have been aware of that, unless he's as stupid as he looks.
They underestimated a fatter than should be Ruiz in the first one, which was still enough to beat AJ. They did not make the same mistake in the rematch and moved heaven and earth to tip the scales. Fortunately for them, Andy was tipping his own scales in the wrong direction and the win was made that much easier.
I think the weeks preparation for Ruiz jnr in the first one didn't help things either, I think most Heavyweights in Joshua's shoes would have maybe underestimated Ruiz jnr a bit, even just sub consciously. He was beaten fair and square though. Ruiz jnr came in a bit heavier second time around but I think whatever his weight it would have been the same outcome. Just my opinion of course.
I still reckon ruiz could have done it again. But he was miles out of where he needed to be in terms of fitness etc. Was so heavy he couldnt even let his hands go....also noticeably slower. You,ve no chance in than condition. Fair play to joshua and his team tho worked hard, had the right gameplan and fought very well. As he says hes not perfect but hes trying. Thats all you can ask for really.
