You need a box n move strategy to beat Ruiz as that is the only style thats been proven to beat him. Ruiz Jr would get to Cooney eventually and and take him out when he does.
I see why you would consider that to be the case. But, I'd say there's not a whole lot of movement required to out-maneuver a 280lbs+ Ruiz Jr.
Why does he have to be 280? Why can't he be the 260ish one from the first Joshua fight. That version times Cooney very similar to Joshua and lays him out when he does.
Why did he have to be 280 plus against Joshua in their rematch? But, I get you, let's put Cooney up against the best and mightiest 260lb version of Ruiz Jr then... ...I'm not going to argue the case too hard, I just think he's even less of a known quantity than Cooney. He had one fight in which he appeared to excel himself by beating up Joshua. He was woeful in the rematch. Where is Ruiz Jr now? Cooney at least went 12 rounds with a very high class operator (way before he should have been). Shipped some leather along the way of failing to land his eraser. There'd be no such problems landing the left against Ruiz Jr. 'Destroyer' is getting tagged with that Cooney shot, all night long, and I don't think his body is just going ignore it, round-after-round. I like Cooney as a value-for-money bet here.
I think Ruiz Jr, is more proven than Cooney. His fight with Parker (razor-close, evenly fought, could have gone either way) and his win against Joshua (WBA/IBF/WBO champion) prove more than anything Cooney did. His only loss is to Joshua, on points. Cooney beat Jimmy Young and bravely took his beating from Holmes. We never did see him in a ring with any "live" young prime heavyweights, like Ruiz, Parker or Joshua.
Cooney did not realise his potential but I can’t cry a river over that because he made more money than most guys to become champion. And nobody should get a win in a fantasy fight based on unrealised potential. Ruiz scored a very important win that was probably more major than anything that is relative to Cooneys career. But should that necessarily afford him a win over a guy who took a prime Larry Holmes to life and death? Just looking at the realised potential Cooney showed before the Holmes fight is looking at a row of fights where he had everything going his way in fights that he was matched to win. But he did this well and better than I imagine Ruiz could. I think the Jimmy Young that Cooney beat might have outpointed the Ruiz Joshua outpointed. After that battering from Gerry, Young went on a 6 fight streak winning an award for best comeback of the year in Ring Magazine. So for that reason, I pick Cooney.
CCOONEY WAS ALWAYS THE COWARDLY LION AND A BUM. CHERRY PICKING. REFUSES TO FIGHT A FELLOW YOUNG CONTENDER TO EARN A SHOT. BLAMES OTHERS FOR HIS GUTLESSNESS. GLASS JAWED. NO BALANCE. TELEGRAPHS EVERYTHING. OH YEAH HE WAS GREAT! A REAL WINNER HERE.
HE IS THE BOY EVERY FATHER WANTS HIS SON TO GROW UP TO BE. REAL HERO HERE. I DONT KNOW WHO IS MORE DELUSIONAL; CALAMITY COONEY FANS OR TUA FANS.?
Vitali came back from a longer layoff at an older age and immediately won a title. Sanders was fighting on a schedule similar to Cooney and spanked Wlad. Tucker was inactive and came back to the top ten. Knocking out Eddie Gregg in your fight a year earlier does not give an excuse to get your face punched in by a blown up light heavy who you are favored to beat.
You know, I agree. It ain't like Ruiz is going to move from side to side , he'll be right there for Gerry. 60 -40 Cooney takes it
