Andy Ruiz Jr. dramatically slimmed down for Anthony Joshua rematch

By Boxing News - 10/15/2019 - Comments

By Barry Holbrook: With two months still to go before his rematch with Anthony Joshua on December 7, IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr looks considerably slimmer than he was for his first fight with AJ last June. Ruiz looks like someone that has gone to a weight loss clinic.

Ruiz posted a Tweet of his new slimmer physique last weekend, and he looks nothing like the chubby fighter that obliterated Joshua last summer. Nevertheless, Ruiz is still light years away from being body beautiful, but he’s definitely getting there. He looks like another person now.

Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) originally said his goal was to get down to the mid-250s for the rematch, but he now looks like he’s in the 240s. There’s still two months to go before the fight.

Ruiz Jr. looking too much weight

Getting down to the 250s was a reasonable goal for Ruiz, but he looks like he’s overdoing it now. At 240, Ruiz may be too light for his punches to hurt Joshua. Dropping down to the 220s or 230s would be a disaster for Ruiz.

The 29-year-old Ruiz Jr. weighed 268 lbs when he shocked the world in knocking out Joshua in the seventh round on June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Ruiz was given NO shot at all in beating the Adonis-like Joshua due in part to his chubby physique.

Ruiz got the jump on Joshua by unloading on him in round 3 to drop him twice. From there, it was only a matter of time before Ruiz finished Joshua off.

Ruiz Jr. says he’ll be “lighter” and “more powerful”

“I have a lot of respect for Anthony, outside the ring he is a very good man,” said Ruiz Jr. to ESPN Mexico. “But inside [the ring] there are no friends, there is no respect or anything. “I will arrive in better condition. Lighter, faster and more powerful. They will believe that in December they will win.”

Ruiz isn’t kidding about him coming into the rematch with Joshua “lighter,” that may not translate to him being more powerful. Joshua is likely going to weigh between 245 and 250 lbs. If Ruiz drops down too low, his shots won’t have the same impact as they did when he weighed 268 lbs for his first fight with AJ.

Known for his scorching hand speed and tubby frame, Ruiz Jr. may have sworn off the candy bars that he’s enjoyed eating i the past. With the weight that Ruiz has trimmed off, he’s starting to resemble a true world champion rather than someone that just climbed off the couch.

“That’s the goal right now to be at 255, 257,” Ruiz told Sporting News. “I want to get a little bit down where I’m comfortable. At that weight, when I fought at 267, I was a little heavier but I did that on purpose because I wanted to be strong.”

Ruiz isn’t the only one that’s losing weight. Joshua has trimmed down a lot as well, and it’s looking like massive guy that Ruiz destroyed last June.

 

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