I think it'll be huge now. AJ is known globally as the guy who got upset, everyone knows about him now. Going into the rematch people will know it is a real 50/50 fight.
Big. I heard two people talking about it while I was checking out at the supermarket on Sunday and at work I've had several people come up to me to chat about what went down Saturday. These aren't avid fight fans, just casuals or just people heard about the fight and know I'm a boxing fan and wanted to get my reaction to what happened. The story of this fight is turning out to be huge. The narrative seizes the imagination, for obvious reasons given the comical disparity in the physiques of the two fighters. Plus it was a great fight. Ruiz has his own sort of charisma and I can see him growing into a legit superstar as long as the fame and money doesn't go to his head.
Absolutely agree, if it was Takam that done this then it would be a shock but your casuals would say well look at his muscles of course he could do it. Like you say, the narrative of it all has made massive appeal and made the story go everywhere. I can see it being huge on UK PPV.
The only other fights Ive ever heard people talk about at work have been May vs Pac and Canelo vs Golovkin. I got multiple texts that night from various casual fans. I think if they do a good job promoting it it will probably be fairly big.
I was getting texts from people who aren't even casual fans asking me "what happened" Rematch will be pretty big.
People were talking about it at my work, and I'm all the way over in Australia. It will be HUGE I'd imagine.
I agree 100%. Max Kellerman has said the same thing, about how Andy Ruiz is now the 4th big star in an even more stacked division, although it was hard to catch with Stephen A. Smith braying like an ass into his microphone. How long will it be before Andy Ruiz is appearing on Conan/Jimmy Kimmel/morning talk shows. I literally wouldn't be surprised if Andy Ruiz is voicing a fat bumbling side-kick character in an upcoming Pixar movie at some point in the future. I wonder how long it will be until George Lopez or Gabriel Iglesias do a bit about Ruiz in a stand up special.
In a way Joshua became more well known than both Fury and Wilder over night by losing in the fashion that he did to Ruiz, so the rematch should be big. Joshua would’ve made almost no impact in the American market if he won as expected.
I actually didn't think of this, this actually could be huge, the biggest heavyweight match in ages - actually bigger than Joshua vs Wilder would have been.... If Joshua versus Wilder happened then it would have been big in boxing, but not big in general... boxing just hasn't captured mainstream interest so much. Ruiz knocking out Joshua was IMMEDIATELY being talked about on the street in New Zealand, where boxing isn't that big a thing. The little fat dude knocking out the 2metre tall chiseled alpha who knocks everyone out captured the interest of people who aren't interested in boxing, and there is a reasonable chance they want to see what happens if they have another go. Not what I would have expected a week ago, at all - but this already is getting more attention than Klitschko vs Joshua did. PS, he IS on Jimmy Kimmel - already.
The biggest fight to be made is Wilder vs Ruiz because they are both knocking busters out. People are talking about the Joshua fight because of Ruiz and not Joshua. Ruiz is the phenomenon not Joshua and Wilder is the demonstrated monster of Mayhem. That's the fight to be made
Massive. This Is a career defining moment for AJ. If he loses he knows he will have to start at the bottom of the pile and perhaps Whyte or Parker (Just signed with Matchroom Boxing) will take the crown. However... To me, Ruiz Jr has let fame get to him already. Interviews, social media posts etc. This is under understandably as he did generally come from a poor background. He now needs to get back down to earth now and focus on the rematch and studying AJ. AJ could take advantage of Ruiz Jr being on cloud 9 just like Ruiz Jr did to AJ. I personally believe its a 50-50 fight and I wish It would take place is Mexico as we all know Eddie has something up his slimy sleeve if it is taking place in the UK (Wembley) Obviously as a Brit myself I want AJ to win and take the belts back to the UK and have a match against Wilder (If it ever happens) What will be will be. But AJ needs to wake up and Ruiz Jr needs to get off cloud nine and focus If he wants a shot against Wilder.
