Even this seems an overstatement. Ruiz has a fair amount of muscle-just not for a modern HW. I think he likely has an LBM (lean body mass, what he would weigh if he had zero fat) is roughly 177 lbs.) That would mean that he has the muscle of a Joe...Louis & Frazier. I believe they were/would all be ~12% body fat at a prime fighting weight of 205. If I am correct, even when "leaner" in his first fight with Joshua, he was right around 1/3 fat. That already is pretty fat, methinks he was not ~ 40% BF then! One can see he has some real muscle, & is not *just* a fat man!
The Real Deal would make Ruiz work hard continuously for about 4 rounds and then beat the **** out of him.
What would say his bf% was in the first AJ fight? Oh, he has muscle. You don't move as fast as he does without it. I'd love to see him come in around 225/235. He'd make a big statement, IMHO.
I said above BB-I believe he was then right around 33.3 BF is plausible. Not near 40%, at least in their first match. Yes I actually think ~ 235 would be ideal! 225? It would not be low for my posited 177 lbs. of LBM. However I think it would be hard enough to approach 235, & he is a due like old Foreman who could carry what would be at that weight ~ 25% BF very well. With his hand speed he would still have punch resistence & power...But better endurance & foot speed!
Yeah, I'd say 35/38%. The man was 283lbs and ate rubbish throughout the camp. Ruiz even said that when he goes to 240 he feels like he loses power. He's not a power puncher though...
No it was in 1954. By 1954 Sonny had already twice beaten Johnny Summerlin in the Pros. And Summerlin was a good fighter who within a year would knockout Zora Folley. Summerlin would have been a good opponent for Ezzard Charles in 1954 never mind Liston. Even as an Amatuer Sonny had won the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over 1952 Olympic gold medalist Ed Sanders, and then won the Intercity Golden Gloves Championship on March 26, 1953, with a win against Julius Griffin. Sonny was a beast pretty much from the beginning. you need to stop writing off the merits of fighters in the early years of their careers.
No, assuming the story is true at all, Charles sparred with Liston while training for Bob Satterfield, at the very beginning of 1954. As Swag says, Liston had only had 3 professional bouts.
True Holyfield sparred Andy when he was only 21 years old tho Holyfield said that when he sparred Andy it was the first time he thought to himself he's glad he doesn't have to have a real fight with this guy in the ring and that Ruiz had the fastest hands of any heavyweight he's seen in the ring. which is quite a big compliment to give here's a clip of it 21-year-old Andy Ruiz (11-0 at the time) vs 48-year-old Evander Holyfield (44-10-2 this was 3 months after Holyfield's last fight and retirement) This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected Now as for their prime like id go for Holyfield just because of how solid of a chin he has and the credentials he has in the ring it would be a good fight tho and they'd go to war id say Holyfield by UD.
Holy lands combinations on a guy as stationary as Ruiz,,only question is does Ruiz make the distance, I'd say yes losing big , 8- 4 type fight
Riddick Bowe and Michael Moorers reputations are based almost entirely on beating Holyfield. If were going to criticize Anthony Joshua for losing to a guy who did little aside from beating him than shouldn't the same apply to Holyfield given his conquerors have so little else to brag about
We have about the same assessment. If you mean the second fight, I would guess he was around that level. He weighed in fully loaded & in the costume with the sombrero, seemingly as a psychological tactic, but any weight he gained on top of 268 lbs. was bad-he should have come in lighter. First fight, I stick with 1/3 BF being likely. He may lose a little power when lighter, & while he is no big hitter, he has a decent HW punch. But it has to be well worth the trade off in greater endurance & foot speed he would gain. Considering his size, he had a decent gas tank even in his second fight with Joshua-but could be more active & likely to catch guys with the better part of 50 lbs. less blubber! Even at ~ mid 230's, he would still have ~ 25% BF. We can justify more than the usual fighter for a few guys based upon styles, strengths, & ability to lose weight & be comfortable. mostly older fighters like comeback Foreman. But that is a significant amount less than 1/3 or more BF-I do not think that is the best weight for anyone.
