There's more than whiff of danger in this fight for Wilder. We all know how Wilder can end this fight quickly. He's the Secretariat of one-trick ponies. But he's hopeless at managing his distance to his opponent and falls into all sorts of traps. Ruiz Jr is an excellent counter-puncher and he's going to have no trouble finding his mark. It would have been much better if Helenius had been able to give Wilder even a little bit of useful work. He wasn't. But with that said, the edge is to Wilder because he can still (apparently) end a fight with one shot and he's still the sort of A-sider who will get deference from the judges.
"He's the Secretariat of one-trick ponies." Complete nonsense. Wilder can school Ruiz with a jab for 12 rounds if he likes, watch Wilder-Stiverne 1 and Wilder-Arreola. Even Wilder-Fury 1; Wilder was vastly more competitive boxing with Fury then Ruiz could ever be. "Ruiz Jr is an excellent counter-puncher and he's going to have no trouble finding his mark." Short + stubby arms + slow feet = massive trouble finding Wilder. "It would have been much better if Helenius had been able to give Wilder even a little bit of useful work." Wilder came away from that fight totally undamaged and with a renewed confidence and fear factor. "But with that said, the edge is to Wilder" It's not an "edge", Wilder will be the clear favourite.
Very good, but there's a blue print Ruiz can follow to defeat Wilder. Romanov is not big, but destroyed Wilder with ease. The question is if Ruiz will come in shape and if he will follow the blue print.
If Wilder had 2 years amateur experience and was 22 years old I would favour Ruiz but Wilder is 37 now with 17-18 years boxing experience.
They like to pretend that fighting Fury three times and Ortiz twice is the same as fighting Fury and Ortiz once. And that Ortiz was no worse at 43 after two brutal KO defeats than he was at 38 and undefeated.
