If you're gonna pack on mass like Lewis and Klitschko did under Steward at least use that extra bulk to clinch and tire opponents out. Joshua's extra mass brings him no benefits with his current style of fighting.
Tbf , for a heavily muscled guy Joshua moves smoothly enough ,but as its not natural he has stamina problems, always will as his cardio system is doing overtime just standing still after 4 - 6 rounds. he should down size & as has been said he needs to up his cardio & also his foot work. I remember Lawless trying to get Bruno doing ballet training as he was so stiff...over muscled ...no good in boxing at all , even worse when your not that guy & you've built yourself into this guy , all wrong!
I think mass is a smaller issue and the bigger one is flexibility. He's burning more energy throwing punches than he would as a more flexible fighter.
As my dear old Dad would say Ward is all wind & **** he's just trying to keep his name alive. Ward retired because he knew he was a fraud & headed for an ass whuppin
Ward couldn't be more wrong. take Away AJ's mass, and you are left with NOTHING. It's not like he is some master technician like Lomachenko or Usyk. AJ relies on his size to muscle around his opponents, in clinches and keeping distance, his mass was the key to victory against klitschko, he was able to push klitschko away several times to keep him from clinching, so he could later land that uppercut, then that 1-2.... he needs to get his cardio up, and spar 20 rounds per day, just needs to stay on the outside and jab Ruiz's head off
the muscle mass he has took a long time to acquire. He has been overrated. Now, if he loses the muscle mass he will be exposed even further. Taking muscle mass off too quickly will cause problems. It is the power that enabled him to get where he is. It also limited him. Taking it off will make him more vulnerable not less. He is just not that well rounded to deal with some one like Ruiz. In short, a kind of one trick pony. If Ruiz doesn't let the massive cash and lime light go to his head....he should beat the crap out of Joshua again. A big muscled body with a small set of intestines and even smaller heart does not a champion fighter make. Ruiz by ktfo within 6.
The bodybuilder Joshua came into the Ruiz fight looking like Lex Luger from1993. Rock solid dense muscles are awful for endurance activities like boxing. Better to go for the softer kind of muscle, with less thickness. Joshua was alot softer when he fought Skelton and Sprott at 240.
Joshua going to win the rematch no matter what he weighs as long as proper preparation is done. Everyone's an expert when someone loses and no matter who writes a biography about how he can't win doesn't change anyone with real ring IQ knows simple adjustments in positioning for AJ make him a heavy favorite again which he still is . it will be an uphill battle for Ruiz this time much harder then getting to AJ even after 2 knockdown and going 7 landing body shots and leaping rights that aren't going to be there for him when Joshua stays pace and rhythm while punishing him . Ruiz can win but can he stay composed getting tagged up for 12 or how bad will he be battered as the fight goes to get an opening that stuns Joshua ? And it better be a good one bc Ruiz won't be landing much. Easy to play the role of Nostradamus when you been picking against AJ in title fights , just keep that same energy when the fights over those who have been doing this have in REALITY a 10% winning record so far in the guys fights. Lol
