Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr: Tale of the tape for Brit’s US debut on June 1
ANDY RUIZ JR has stepped in to save the day by challenging Anthony Joshua for the unified heavyweight world titles next month – but few people see him giving AJ any sleepless nights.
Ruiz, 29, replaces American Jarrell Miller, who failed three drug tests and saw his WBA, IBF and WBO world title shot cancelled.
Mexican-American Ruiz has been offered a life-changing opportunity – but rightfully enters the Madison Square Garden showdown on June 1 as a massive underdog.
Here’s how the two giants compare.
EXPERIENCE
Ruiz turned professional in 2009 after having an amateur record of 105-5 and representing Mexico at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games qualification tournaments.
The California-born bruiser has since won all but one of his 33 fights, with 21 coming early.
Despite having four years more experience and 11 more fights in the pro ranks than his Brit opponent, it can be argued Joshua has the nod in terms of experience.
Certainly in terms of world title fights and nights under the big lights.
Joshua is undefeated in his 22 contests and like his latest challenger has recorded 21 KOs.
The Watford ace has been world champion since April 2016 after toppling Charles Martin and has since defended his belts six times.
Ruiz has contested for a world title once, losing a close split-decision in 2016 against Joseph Parker – who just three bouts later surrendered his strap to AJ in Cardiff.
TRAITS
An Olympic gold medallist, Joshua is a well -oiled machine guided by the intelligence of trainer McCracken.
He has speed, power, combination punching, size and defensive skills in abundance – making it hard to make a case for where Ruiz can better AJ.
However, Ruiz’s lightning quick hands are not only commendable due to his podgy belly but a thing of rarity for any heavyweight.
Joshua is quick, though Ruiz has a snap in his punches not rivalled by any elite heavyweight and this is his biggest weapon going into the unified title fight.
In AJ’s last defence, a seventh round stoppage against Alexander Povetkin in September, the Brit hero fought in a never-seen-before crouched stance in order to avoid punching down on his 6ft 2ins opponent.
Opposed to his conventional hands up-tall posture fighting stance, Joshua lacked fluidity in his boxing and struggled to establish the dominance like that seen in the majority of his 21 previous wins.
If the champion goes with the same stance then the quick-handed Ruiz could make a go of it by beating him to the punch and making AJ think while he’s questioning his tactics.
When Ruiz lost out to Parker, his punch output in the second half of the fight let him down, as his plodding footwork meant his man was able to catch him clean.
Getting your feet caught up and losing movement against an opponent as strong as Joshua could be a recipe for a painful disaster.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Ruiz: “The chills – I’m really excited for this fight, there’s nervousness in me, but they’re happy nerves.
“This is my chance to make history, I want to be one of those greats like Chavez, Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis. I want to be in that category.
“A lot of people underestimated me, and I’m used to that. My whole life people underrated me so I’m just going in there to take all.
“I’m not going in there scared and I’m not going in there nervous, I’m going to go in there mad and to take what’s mine.
“I think being so tall he fights like a big robot. I think with my style, my speed, my movement, I don’t think he’s fought anybody like me.
“It’s going to be a whole different ball game. All the guys that he’s fought, they usually run around from him. I don’t think he’s good going back. I’m going to bring the pressure, the speed, and the combinations to him.
“When I do pull out this win, everything is going to change. I’m going to bring the titles back to Mexico, it’s going to mean everything.
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“I’m going to be able to change my whole family’s lives – my life and all my kids. It’s a win-win situation right now, but the main thing is to win the fight and make history.”
Joshua: “Ruiz is a different kind of challenge but one I embrace.
“We have worked in the boxing gym week on week and whomever is put in front of me at Madison Square Garden on June 1 will be dispatched in style. The rent will be collected.”