Just seen the post pics of his spar with Hunter. Again, it might be camera angles but he’s easily lost about 2 stone. Obviously there are advantages to this, but I am concerned that he will lose some durability...or is he thinking he can evade the big shots more rather than taking them flush?
I think AJ will come in lighter and quicker so Ruiz wants to be even faster. If it doesn't affect his punch resistance he'll be fine. It just makes it even more intriguing. I keep saying it but I really can't wait to see this fight. So many questions will be answered on the night. It's great to see Ruiz taking it so seriously and we know AJ will be training as though his life depends on it.
Just rewatched the first fight for the first time since. I honestly think AJ beats him. He rushed in after the knockdown and got caught and never recovered. Too big and strong imo. Hell be careful and respectful this time around and only go for the finish when Ruiz is tired.
I’ve watched it about 8 times haha. To be fair, Joshua hit Ruiz a lot harder (several times) than Ruiz hit Joshua but it was an absolute peach of a left hand. You mention waiting for Ruiz to get tired but it was Joshua who was blowing a gasket.
I didn't see anything in the first fight to suggest AJ will win a rematch. AJ needs to be a whole different animal with a whole different game plan to get the W. It's not impossible, but I'm picking Ruiz. AJ has the size, strength and power advantages but Ruiz has everything else including speed, punch variety, punch resistence, fitness, ring IQ and technique. Ruiz also has to be more confident than AJ and looks like the most focused he's ever been in his career. I'm sure AJ will be a lot better this time around, but everything suggests Ruiz will also be much better. Great fight; "lets get it on!!!!!!"
This I believe will be how it pans out next time, and ruiz finishes it quicker with Joshua gassed completely by the fourth through body shots.
I don’t see any way big josh can have developed either the chin, the stamina, the head movement or the footwork to avoid being stopped again. Let alone all four. So his best bet is to plough forwards and relentlessly “put it on” the slippery little fat lad in the hope he can land something big first. Even then it means he needs to put himself into harms way of those lightening fast flabby levers, and you’ve got to fancy Ruiz’s landing six unanswered shots to AJs one big Hail Mary in that situation too. AJ has no chin, none. Six of the best from fat lad and he’ll be looking at his corner again or winking to an imaginary friend in the crowd again, anything but looking straight ahead at the guy who’s been haunting his dreams for the past six months. Don’t count out completely yet that team AJ finds a way out of this one - snakebite / food poisoning / stolen lunch money type yarn - which enables the big chinny weightlifter to fight another day against shot old war chisora back in the uk.
You need a heart and a chin to beat a Mexican warrior like Ruiz, not just steroids and bulk Two fundamental elements missing in Joshua
