Who ever knocked out Ruiz? And I can assure you that MSG Ruiz was at or above peak Mercer’s level (above, really).
A 40 yr old Arreola dropped Ruiz and he missed out on all the big punchers bar a 50 year old Ortiz. Mercer hits harder and is actually better at range he knocks joshua out
He took one kneee off a balance shot from Arreola. You’re talking about a guy who took Joshua’s best punch and got up to kick his ass.
He got dropped by joshua yes, but caught him coming in after getting up. Mercer can do that. Mercer can also give joshua trouble at range, eat everything he has to offer without getting dropped and then give him a beating. Also Arreola wobbled him, he was hurt
We are talking about the guy who lost to 40+ Holmes, Jesse Ferguson, and almost lost to Ossie Occosio. Maybe and outside chance at Joshua, who sometimes looks like he's trying to sabotage himself, but I would say the chances of beating Fury would be just about zero. And don't give me this Lennox Lewis **** because even though I have Lennox as #3, he blew hot and cold when he wanted to.
Fury doesn't have the resume to be confident of him even against someone like Mercer provided he is in decent shape
Yeah unless it's a TKO stoppage with Mercer still on his feet then maybe. AJ would probably also be pretty economical like he was in most post Wlad fights.
Can’t rule out Mercer playing dead on the canvas while hoping for a DQ bc of a borderline foul. (Watch the Briggs fight.)
Joshua yes, Fury no................. Joshua would be in real danger against someone like Mercer, who he isn't gonna crack and who can throw fast and hard in combination. He'd get outboxed by Fury though.