Theres a reason a lot of heavyweights are overweight. They fight better heavier. It could be a lack of discipline. But it could also be on purpose from ruiz. I think they,ve both outmanouvered each other a bit. Joshua coming in so light. Thinking ruiz will be about the same as the first fight. And ruiz coming in so heavy joshuas team thinking he,d be around the same as last time maybe a bit lighter. I think the gamble might have backfired for joshua tho. 3 stones a lot of weight to give away. He looks a bit too thin for a tough twelve round fight if it does turn that way. Ruiz seems to be a bit of a freak of nature a bit like fury in that the heavier they go the speeds still there. Ruiz,s handspeed anyway. Think its a bigger risk for joshua tbh. Weights a big factor in a boxing match...think joshua at around the same weight as the last fight would have done better than his current weight. Who really knows tho.
Won't affect his handspeed and he never had fast feet to begin with, it's his timing and judge of distance which allowed him to close the distance whenever he wanted to the last time out.
It difficult to call. If AJ has his heart set on boxing and there's not much engagement then he can go 12 fine. He looked fresh in the 12th round vs Parker. Ruiz is obviously looking to impose himself on AJ. He's the bigger physically stronger fighter and know's he can hurt AJ - he might just try to walk him down. Can AJ hold a shot at his current weight off someone 3.5 stone heavier? Can't wait. Lovely to be having a fight coming up where it's not a foregone conclusion
Let’s be honest, we can’t tell if he looks any better or worse. He always looks in terrible condition. I thought he looked the same but difficult to tell when he doesn’t take his top off. Got to think about the context. A guy who clearly isn’t the most disciplined outside of the ring, has just become a multi millionaire who never needs to work another day in his life, loves a taco and snickers bar and didn’t even start his training camp on time, comes in 15lbs heavier. Do you think he’s hit the weights and put on a stone of muscle or eaten his way to that weight? I know which I’d bet on... But hey, he’s proved everyone wrong before... And I wouldn’t be suprised if there were weights in the pockets or something similar just to play some mind games. Or he’s been to Dillian Whyte’s new McDonalds franchise on Loughborough uni campus and been tucking into the dianodoubol cheeseburgers
The warning signs were there with the info about the ring, AJ's obvious weight loss and now the final piece with Ruiz shockingly heavier. I watched that "day in the life of Ruiz" 2 parter and at one point he was eating out with his buddies and they were stuffing pizza while he had pasta. But the pizza was too tempting and he took a piece and said "don't tell my trainer". If he is shovelling it down on camera then what he is eating in private is anyone's guess. I can see a different fight from the first one.
He looked fast, powerful and well balanced in that open training session. I’m disappointed with the weight but it looks like he’s not willing to let it go 12 rounds.
With guys like him though as you say it's hard to see as the muscle is covered up. A guy his size can easily put that sort of good weight on in the form of muscle and even get smaller yet weight more. I see it all the time when people start or get back into lifting.
This. They're coming for the early KO without giving the judges an opportunity to rob him. I believe he'll get it. He knows he just needs one big shot and I believe his whole camp has been based around landing that big shot. AJ's whiskers won't take it. My opinion. At least I'm not sitting on the fence like most.
AJ looked fresh in the 12th against Parker because he barely took a meaningful shot the whole fight and was in with a guy who was on the backfoot the whole time too scared to take risks whereas with Ruiz he'll be in with an opponent who has no fear, will not back off and knows he can close the distance and hurt AJ.
Normally my money speaks for me with a bet but I will decline this one. Too much has changed since the first fight but if pushed I will go for Joshua with what seems to be a number of advantages this time.
Strange as it is unbelievably intriguing. And could be anywhere from explosive to an absolute stinker.
