Joshua v Ruiz 2

See that Joshua is going in three stone lighter than Ruiz. He sounds very confident and
says his punching is at an all time high. Look back at their first fight preview is on BBC 1
tonight at 11-30 pm. Bookies have Joshua at 4-9 to win with Ruis as underdog at 2-1.

 

If Joshua utilises his reach and stays behind the jab like he did against Parker then he should have enough to win easily.

 

I’ve backed Ruiz, it’s not a confident pick but at 11/4 I felt he was good value.

I don’t buy into his huge weight increase, he’s weighed in wearing trackers & a vest & a huge hat. Might seem daft to your casual boxing fan but fighters have had hidden weights on them in the past.

He’s playing mind games with Joshua in my opinion, talking about having a 3rd fight if Joshua beats him & wearing a New York Knick’s top to remind Joshua where he beat him even though he’s from California.

The evidence suggests he should be fitter anyway, he’s had a long camp & one of the best heavyweights on the planet Michael Hunter says they’ve been having brilliant soars together. I think he wants Joshua & his team to think he’s spent the last 6 months living like Buster Douglas after he upset Tyson.

Joshua’s big advantage is the referee, it’s the same referee that reffed Wlad - Haye & stopped any inside fighting. Joshua needs to jab & grab & make it ugly to win a wide a points decision. If he gets into a war then he’s likely to get beat.

 

If Joshua is sensible he should win. He only needs to win 7 rounds to win the fight. Last time i think the pressure of America and Wilder got to him. He went hunting a dramatic knockout and it cost him.
I'm more excited about Wilder Fury 2 myself. Though if Ruiz wins I expect that to be delayed.

 

I don't think Joshua can handle Ruiz' style, he's surprisingly quick and durable for a bloke who looks like he's just stumbled out of new lodge club.

Had Joshua gone into the fight at his previous weight then I'd say Ruiz will win but AJ has dropped 3 and half stone which i think will make it an interesting match up. I like Ruiz, I like his story, and if he was to win then I think it would make fights for AJ against Wilder and Fury alot easier to make than if he is the world champion. Whilever AJ has all them belts then I don't see the Wilder/Fury fights ever being made as neither side will drop their percentages. If AJ doesn't have the belts and is serious about getting back to the top then he simply has to go up against the best and he'd have to take whatever he could. 2 losses in a year could destroy his career on the top table of boxing. It's a long way back from there.

 

I don't think AJ would beat Fury or Wilder. Fury would dance rings round him and AJ probably isn't good enough to outbox Wilder without getting dropped at some point.

 

I don't see AJ fighting Wilder win or loss. If he wins he is likely to take a mandatory then someone like Whyte. I can't see them wanting any part of Wilder.
If he loses Ruiz will almost certainly fight Wilder and make Fury wait for rematch. (Which I think he would be happy to do)
If AJ lost I could see him fighting Fury at some point down the line for a huge payday.
For AJ a loss could just about end his career, it would take a hell of a lot of will to fight back to the top. When you think how much he has earned so far he may not want to fight on for much smaller sums of money, and frankly who could blame him.

 

AJ said he wants a trilogy and that would suit him fine so whilst Wilder fights Fury in February he can tick over with a fight in the mean time and the winner of those two can face eachother next summer (hopefully AJ versus Fury at Wembley).

 

None of that will happen. If Wilder fights Fury in Feb Wilder will likely have a rematch clause if he loses.
Whatever tonight's outcome AJ won't be getting back in with Ruiz anytime soon.
If AJ wins he will take a mandatory in the spring time. Then my guess would be a possibility of someone like Whyte at the back end of the year.