When Will Anthony Joshua Fight Again
Six months ago, Andy Ruiz Jr. authored 1 of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history by knocking out Anthony Joshua.
As a substitute opponent on a month's notice for Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller, who had been booted from the fight for failing four random drug tests, Ruiz was given virtually no run a risk by anybody to upset three-belt earth titleholder Joshua, ane of battle'due south biggest stars, when they met on June i at Madison Square Garden in New York for Joshua's heavily hyped U.S. debut.
Early on it looked equally if Joshua would take out Ruiz hands when he floored him in the tertiary round. Only Ruiz survived, dropped Joshua twice later in a candidate for round of the yr and scored two more knockdowns in the seventh round for a shocking knockout victory to go the first fighter of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight world title.
Ruiz's victory immediately moved alongside of such memorable heavyweight title upsets equally Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson, and Hasim Rahman drilling Lennox Lewis in their first fight.
Joshua, who had made six successful defenses before facing Ruiz, quickly exercised his contractual right to a rematch, and the sequel goes down Saturday (DAZN, noon ET, with the main event at about iii:45 p.m. ET) in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
Tin Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs), 30, of Imperial, California, who is over again the underdog, pull another upset and convince people that his first victory was no fluke? Can Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs), 30, turn the tables and regain the belts the way his British countryman Lewis did in 2001 in his firsthand rematch with Rahman?
This is your Ringside Seat for one of the year's biggest fights:
Joshua's mindset
Joshua was widely considered the No. one heavyweight in the world when he first faced Ruiz. Only given what happened in June and how definitively Ruiz won, many have questioned Joshua's mentum and whether he will be able to mentally handle the pressure level of the rematch.
Others might argue that he simply took Ruiz for granted, and because Joshua suffered a concussion in the third round, the fact that he could keep going into the seventh earlier the fight was finally waved off with him on his anxiety illustrates an enormous heart -- even though some take said that he quit.
Joshua did not resort to force per unit area from some to fire career-long caput trainer Robert McCracken. Instead, Joshua took the loss similar a human being, didn't complain or make excuses.
"It'southward what I washed to myself, not what he done to me," Joshua said. "I'm back to that young killer mindset inside me. He's done me more than practiced than he's done me bad."
Joshua reasoned that he was perhaps ane punch abroad from ending the fight in the third round.
"I was 50% of the fashion at that place and I got caught," he said. "This time I have to walk the fire with a bit more grace, more caution. I can't get carried abroad. I have to be careful and make certain I am victorious.
"I can believe the man took so long to get me out of in that location. If I concussed a fighter, he own't lasting 'til Round 7. I was fully concussed."
Joshua besides refused to say he overlooked Ruiz.
"I requite the man his credit. I just got beat," he said. "I just needed to make some changes and I've made them. I'thou in a skillful place and I'm definitely ready. I know where I went incorrect and I know I'll regain the heavyweight championship of the world. After I crush him, I will tell you personally [what changes were fabricated]. I lost because I got beaten by the better human and I have to give the man credit. But I know where I went wrong."
Joshua told ESPN his prediction is that he will knock Ruiz out in the ninth or tenth round.
"Apparently I'1000 fighting the quickest hands and the all-time fighter in the division. And then once I crush him I want everybody to bow to me," Joshua said. "Nosotros've had plenty of time to prepare for the rematch. I'yard in for a tough fight, but I don't take any fear of Andy. I'm non gun-shy, I'm ready to swing and trade."
Weighty matters
For the June fight, the half-dozen-foot-6 Joshua weighed a rock-solid 247¾ pounds. For the rematch he slimmed down to a still-ripped 237 pounds but appeared a little less muscular because he said he spent more of his military camp -- upon advice of former heavyweight champion, friend and former rival Wladimir Klitschko -- on boxing drills and sparring than on running and rowing.
Ruiz is some other matter. Generously listed at half-dozen-2, he was 268 pounds, the heaviest he had been for a fight since an eight-rounder in 2014 (272¾ confronting Kenny Lemos). Ruiz calls himself a "chubby child," and many looked at his soft body and figured there was no way could he could crush somebody built like Adonis. Simply despite Ruiz's physique he's a very practiced fighter. He has stamina, two of the quickest hands in the partition and underrated power.
When he and trainer Manny Robles began preparation for the rematch, they discussed Ruiz'due south weight. Initially, Robles wanted him to exist a bit lighter, in the mid-250s.
"I desire to exist strong. I don't want to worry well-nigh the weight," Ruiz said.
Ultimately they decided to permit Ruiz exist Ruiz and plan for him to again be around 268. It worked the first time, after all.
"We had to figure out where he felt best -- 255, 260? Where can I become Andy Ruiz to feel at his best and perform at his best," Robles said. "Nosotros decided to stick at this weight, what he is walking around at and where he feels strong. He'south nevertheless quick as he'south ever been -- his footwork, his upper-body movement. I don't remember the weight has anything to practise with it. Nosotros got him to drop a bit of weight, only he wasn't feeling good or strong."
Robles' plan to have him weigh 268 again, at which he said Ruiz would be every bit late as Thursday, was blown out of the water at Fri's counterbalance-in, where Ruiz was a staggering 283.7 pounds, though wearing clothes and a sombrero. It was the heaviest of his 10-year career since he was in the mid-290s for his kickoff two professional fights.
No heavyweight has always entered a title defense force heavier except for the seven-pes Nikolay Valuev, who was at least 310¾ pounds for each of the defenses he made over 2 reigns in the 2000s.
Robles brushed off the public body shaming of Ruiz.
"Let's face it: It doesn't matter how much weight he drops, he will never look like Anthony Joshua," Robles said. "It doesn't mean he's non in adept shape. Andy's in great shape, physically and mentally."
Is Ruiz for existent?
Robles has heard comparisons made between Ruiz and 1-hit wonder Douglas.
"Andy'due south definitely non another Buster Douglas. Andy is in shape, you lot will see that," said Robles, alluding to the fact that Douglas was grossly out of shape when he lost the title to Evander Holyfield in his starting time defence. "We have to exist real and empathize that Anthony Joshua also wants to win this fight. He's besides in great shape and wants to recover what he one time had. We will do our best to win the fight, but nosotros got the guy on the other side who wants to win. I believe in my boxer."
Ruiz admitted he had a long victory celebration. He made media appearances, visited the president of Mexico and enjoyed the millions he earned by buying a mansion, fancy cars and an assortment of jewelry.
Once he got into a three-month camp, the fighter and trainer said he was as dedicated as he could exist.
"He stayed grounded and focused, still hungry," Robles said. "We've worked extremely difficult for this fight. He's got to fight the fight of his life to make sure he keeps those belts. It'due south gonna exist a huge challenge and it's gonna be a lot of fun."
Ruiz says he is motivated by all the doubters.
"Of course I have that motivation, considering everybody is still doubting me to this day," Ruiz said. "And probably if I win they're nonetheless probably going to be doubting me. Simply I think that's what gives me that hunger to bear witness everybody wrong.
"I think the pressure is more on him. All the cameras are on him on how he's gonna come dorsum, how he is mentally. Then I recollect there's simply too many things that they're talking nearly him and he's too worried almost what other people are proverb."
Robles said they worked on inside fighting, which Ruiz is already very good at, defence force, footwork and giving Joshua angles.
Ruiz picked apart Joshua's game. He said Joshua can't fight backing up and had a hard time dealing with his pressure and hand speed. In his camp, Ruiz said he worked on "being pocket-sized and working the body and throwing combinations. I think it's gonna be hard for him shooting downward low. I think that will give me the advantage.
"He's still a dangerous fighter, an ex-champion, Equally long as I stick to my game programme, practice what I got to do and accept fun out there, I think we're gonna win."
The fight is where?
Initially, the rematch was going to be back at Madison Foursquare Garden or at the lxxx,000-seat Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, which Joshua has filled twice.
But a visitor with massive backing from the government of Saudi arabia offered tens of millions of dollars to Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and Joshua to bring the fight at that place. They took the money, despite extensive criticism for doing business with a government with a long record of human rights violations and oppression of women and minorities.
"We were very shut to going to Cardiff, and very close to taking this rematch back to Madison Square Garden in New York. We fifty-fifty looked at Mexico," Hearn said. "I had finally made the determination to go on the fight in the U.K., but then I got the call from Saudi. I told them not to waste their fourth dimension because nosotros were taking the fight to Cardiff. But the passion they had to bring this fight to Saudi Arabia was unmatched, and within 4 or five days nosotros accept an agreement to phase this fight here. Sometimes there was shock and criticism, just this was an absolutely wonderful decision."
So the start heavyweight world title bout to take place in the Heart East -- dubbed "Clash on the Dunes" -- will happen in Saudi Arabia in the city of Diriyah, located on the outskirts of the uppercase city, Riyadh. The fight will be held at a temporary 15,000-seat open-air stadium built only for the fight in a picayune less than two months. Construction began on Oct. vii and required nearly 300 tons of steel and a coiffure of about 175 that this week has been putting the finishing touches on the stadium, which will take about a month to take down.
"It's amazing, man. It'southward crazy how they built everything in a month and a half," Ruiz said. "It's amazing to be fighting over hither. It's going to exist really historic, and I'm planning to make history over here. It's a lot different. When I first got here [for a news briefing in early September] none of this was here, so it's unbelievable."
Rafael's prediction: This is a huge rematch and there is huge pressure on Joshua later what happened in June. But I think he overlooked the late replacement Ruiz and paid the price. No style he does that this time. I think Joshua is a ameliorate athlete, a better puncher and he's bigger. Ruiz might have been a picayune distracted given all the hoopla over his victory. I think Joshua will be equally prepared as he can maybe be and will get the job done past belatedly knockout.
Source: https://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/28231351/ringside-seat-andy-ruiz-repeat-anthony-joshua-find-redemption
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