WATCH RUIZ vs PARKER - Comments?

Parker fought well imo. Good jab constantly pumped out, used it to gauge a safe distance, pretty much matches Ruiz in hand speed for single punches (not combination speed), good reflexes in parrying and stepping back to avoid punches, lateral movement kept Ruiz from setting up his combos, kept his distance to avoid playing into Ruiz' strengths (as opposed to what AJ did which got him dropped). It's when Parker did exchange combinations with Ruiz where he was gotten the better of.

I remember watching this fight live thinking Ruiz was letting it get away from him by being too inactive. Parker definitely won this imo.

The way Parker fought him here is how AJ should have fought him imo. as much as his own style can let him emulate a fight fought at distance anyway.

 

This. Parker used the ring and didn’t stand in front of Ruiz and trade. Ruiz is very beatable if you move around the ring and make him use up his legs, but to stand in front of him and trade on the inside like Joshua did is playing right into Ruiz’s strengths.

 

Definitely this. Ruiz had it his way for much of the first half of the fight and Parker WAS losing by my count, however he clearly has more of a chin than AJ is and managed to wear some decent artillery without being hurt so had the chance to adjust and shift the range and pace to something which he could win.

 

I was as guilty as the next man for saying Joshua needed a knockout against Ruiz in his US debut.
In hindsight this played right into Ruiz hands quite literally.These guys need to stop looking at social media to be honest as I'm sure this plays a part.
Talking about social media what a classless individual Wilder is and thick as two short planks,not only did he weigh in on Joshua he actually said this should make it clear who was running from who.Guess he forgot about the interview he gave after Breazele where he mentioned how these fights take time ect.
I'm not as pessimistic as some and believe Joshua can win the rematch so long as he doesn't get carried away and uses his height and reach and not let Ruiz swing away on the inside.

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Close fight, but Parker nicked it by outworking Ruiz in the later rounds. Ruiz is super dangerous on the inside, but can be outboxed and outworked on the outside. He's also quite vulnerable to jabs. That's why I think fighters like Pulev could potentially beat him.

 

Parker is bigger and stronger and more experienced this time and he generally Is so talented. He could go so far with the right trainer.

 

I hope so. He's my favourite fighter at HW. Realistically he won't though. He's destined to be one of those hard luck nearly men, IMO (WBO notwithstanding).

 

Trouble with Parker is:

- he's peaked technically and won't leave Kevin Barry
- he's too nice and concedes too much to his opponents

Physically he's one of the most impressive specimens in the sport, ridiculous speed and explosiveness, a great gastank and a top grade chin, but he's had technical flaws for years now that have not been addressed, and mentally he lets lesser fighters get the better of him too easily. He should have steamrolled Whyte, but he ended up getting bullied and needing a last ditch effort to make it anywhere near close on the cards. That shouldn't have been the case. He should have taken more chances with Joshua as well. He's got all the tools but something isn't there when he needs it. I don't see another year or so changing that.

 

Parker is a good fighter, good in all area's but hes missing a true champs mentality