- Oct 29, 2016
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AJ has to fight usyk next which I think is a massive joke.
Agree with the first paragraph. Not convinced Ruiz put on weight due to money and fame, possible but I believe he is comfortable at a large weight.Anyone who watched this expecting a fight and a war were foolish. Ruiz has never been finished and has good hands and power. The way AJ fought was the only way he could win that boxing match. Keeping ruiz at arms length, jabbing and moving his feet. There is a reason he stopped hitting the weights and slimmed down so he can move more freely.
Ruiz let the fame and money get to him, he put on way to much weight.
Is it mandatory?AJ has to fight usyk next which I think is a massive joke.
Yep.Is it mandatory?
Wilder isnt a world class boxer but his right hand is world class. Doesnt matter how well you box against him, if he hits you flush, its curtains. Unless you're tyson fury.
If you take the top three heavyweights right now, then barring AJ from the first fight, none of them fight Ruiz up close. Wilder doesn't do it and neither does Fury. You never fight close quarters with someone like Ruiz, who only knows that way. Ruiz coming in that heavy only took away from himself - speed makes power and at the right weight, Ruiz has speed in abundance with his hands. A lighter Ruiz, who can be quicker on his feet to close the distance is a scary prospect. Fortunately for AJ and the others, Ruiz will never be the "perfect" weight, as all throughout his career he has been fat - it's his lifestyle that he just can not change and there is a lot of truth that Ruiz just doesn't do longer camps well.
Yep.
People criticising AJ and the fight in general are not looking at it with any context.
It could've been career ending for AJ if he lost that and he knew it...winning, in any way possible, was his only objective.
Don't agree at all that it was a terrible fight. Both fighters cut in the first two rounds and AJ caught Ruiz with some great shots in the first 6 rounds. Many of those shots would have seriously hurt most heavweights and AJ could have gone for a knockout.
A large part of the reason AJ didn't win the first fight was because he went for a knockout before Ruiz was hurt. He didn't make the same mistake twice.
Amazing that people are criticising AJ for boxing but not Ruiz for not going for it in the last 4 rounds.
If you take the top three heavyweights right now, then barring AJ from the first fight, none of them fight Ruiz up close. Wilder doesn't do it and neither does Fury. You never fight close quarters with someone like Ruiz, who only knows that way. Ruiz coming in that heavy only took away from himself - speed makes power and at the right weight, Ruiz has speed in abundance with his hands. A lighter Ruiz, who can be quicker on his feet to close the distance is a scary prospect. Fortunately for AJ and the others, Ruiz will never be the "perfect" weight, as all throughout his career he has been fat - it's his lifestyle that he just can not change and there is a lot of truth that Ruiz just doesn't do longer camps well.
It won't give him great footwork, but being lighter will give him more speed on his feet to close the range better - This, however, has never been seen, as Ruiz has never been at a good enough weight to move quicker. AJ vs Ruiz 2 was an absolute shambles from his perspective - totally done the sport a disservice there with his lack of conditioning.Ruiz has never had good footwork. He needs an opponent to stand in range and let him throw combinations. All he has is very good handspeed with decent power, and of course, a very, very good chin. Being lighter won’t give Ruiz great footwork. Joshua fought a terrible fight first time round
Looks like AJ next fight will be at Tottenham stadium
It won't give him great footwork, but being lighter will give him more speed on his feet to close the range better - This, however, has never been seen, as Ruiz has never been at a good enough weight to move quicker. AJ vs Ruiz 2 was an absolute shambles from his perspective - totally done the sport a disservice there with his lack of conditioning.
Footwork is what’s needed though mate, to close the angles and get shots off. You can be fast as Usain Bolt but without the footwork you’ll just chase him round the ring in straight lines. Basically Joshua would have pissed the first fight too if he had adopted this approach.
What didn’t help the first fight was the big build up about Joshua cracking the US and with Wilder sparking Breazeale just before it felt like Joshua had to make a statement. For play to Ruiz for doing the job of course but he didn’t suddenly become a stone cold killer, he’s always been a plodding, tough heavyweight with fast hands once he gets set and the opponent.
He let himself down but I think it’s a bit of excuse making too.
Just goes to show, it takes more to stay a champion than to become a champion. Something Fury has struggled with throughout his career.
I agree. Ruiz really did himself a disservice by not trying to improve his footwork for this match. He did not have to get faster, but needed to try to cut AJ off, and close the distance. There was no way that Ruiz could win from distance. He needed the fight to be fought up close. I can not say this enough, AJ fought a masterclass fight. He was, for the most part, disciplined with his gameplan. I think that he saw that he got punished when he allowed Ruiz in close.