By Kenneth Friedman: IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. was getting some help this week by boxing great Erik Morales to get ready for his rematch with Anthony Joshua on December 7 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ruiz will be attempting to hold onto his titles in facing a highly motivated Joshua, who has vowed not to repeat the mistakes he made in their previous fight.
Morales is working on improving Ruiz’s punching technique to make him even more of a knockout threat to Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) than he was in their first fight last summer on June 1. Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) is already a great puncher, but Morales wants to make small improvements in his game.
Ruiz promises to be more powerful in Joshua rematch
“I have a lot of respect for Anthony Joshua. Outside the ring he is a very good man, but inside there are no friends,” said Ruiz to ESPN MX about his rematch with AJ on December 7. “I will arrive in better condition – lighter, faster and more powerful. I have faith that we’re going to win and shut up more mouths.”
What could be a mistake on Ruiz’s part is his decision to lose weight for the rematch with Joshua. Ruiz fought well at 268 pounds for his previous fight with Joshua, and he might end up weaker if he drops down to the 250s. In training video, Ruiz appears considerably slimmer than what he weighed last June for the Joshua fight. Being slimmer won’t translate to Ruiz having more punching power. He’s more likely to have less power at a lighter weight.
In the last three years, Ruiz failed to knockout his opponents when he weighed in the 250 region. Ruiz couldn’t knockout Kevin Johnson, Joseph Parker and Franklin Lawrence when he weighed in the 250s.
Joshua is expected to use movement against Ruiz
It’s no secret that Joshua, 29, is planning on being more mobile, and lighter for the rematch with Ruiz than in the first fight. Joshua weighed 247 pounds last time, which is a good weight for him, but he still looked over-muscled. He fought a lot better when he weighed 242 lbs for his fight against Joseph Parker in March of 2018.
Joshua moved well around the ring, and didn’t look tight the way he did against Ruiz. With Joshua, he doesn’t need to lose that much weight. He has to put more emphasis on his cardio, so he can be mobile, and not a stationary target for Ruiz.
.@WilliamHill speed bag challenge, light work @KSIOlajidebt 😅😂#ad pic.twitter.com/zSlEkx5WJp
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyfjoshua) October 11, 2019
