Agree 100%. Strength training is OK to a point, but its obvious AJ has long passed that point. He should rather get more sparring in.
In sparring you get hit......he does not like getting hit, nobody does but he seems super sensitive about it and mentally he folds when pressed, on the other hand weights do not fight back. Conclusion: Ruiz is a born fighter, AJ is not. If Ruiz shows up for the rematch in the same state of mind and body he was for the first encounter ,the Bodybuilder will fold even quicker this time around.
Would have him do more cardio. Spar more. Have the sparring partners press his ass...repeatedly. jab and grab...tie up. Have him spar until the cows come home...have him spar when tired. that can come back to bite you...it looks like he needs to be pressed by people that want to beat his ass and don't care who he is. then slip to the bookies and bet the farm on Ruiz.
Splutter cough urrgghh...Did someone mention Mannys name in the same breath as mcCraken ...F'Kin sacrilege in my book!!!
On a more serious note, bring in a fellow Abel Sanchez pressure guy like Arsen Goulamirian, work on all lead hand stuff (jabbing both levels, check hooks) and evasive footwork, bring in a greco roman wrestling guy and make Joshua drill tying him up (head control, collar ties, overhooks, etc). But still have nice steak dinners with judges.
It would be "Klitschko" style all the way. It would be boring, jab, grab, lean on, everything long and behind a jab. It doesn't matter how AJ wins, he just needs to win, bore your way to a decision and then move on. And if he did that it would be hilarious to watch the Fury fans who would be screaming "masterclass" if Fury jabbed his way around Ruiz to a decision call AJ "negative", "boring" and the rest..
