By Tim Royner: Anthony Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) is using German heavyweight prospect Albon Pervizaj (12-0, 9 KOs) as a sparring partner to help replicate the fast hands of his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. (33-1, 22 KOs) on December 7.
The 24-year-old Pervizaj has similar hand speed as Ruiz Jr., and he should be able to help Joshua get ready for the rematch in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua has ideal sparring partner in Pervizaj
It’s crucial that Joshua, 29, spar with guys that can replicate the hand speed of Ruiz, because he was completely over-matched against the Mexican American last June in getting massacred in 7 rounds in New York.
Joshua is doing the right things in trimming down in muscle weight, and selecting partners that closely replicate Ruiz’s speed. If things don’t go Joshua’s way on December 7th, he can’t say he was unprepared again. Joshua is leaving no stone upturned in getting ready for the Ruiz rematch. If Joshua loses again to Ruiz, he needs to move on and recognize that he’s too good for him. That’s the way it is sometimes. Joshua will destroy his career if he continues to fight Ruiz and lose to him.
In Joshua’s previous fight with Ruiz, he didn’t have a full training camp to prepare for him. Ruiz was brought in 3 weeks before the fight as a replacement for the originally scheduled Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller. He had tested positive for banned substances and was removed from the card.
Joshua needs sparring partner with fast feet
What Pervizaj is missing that Ruiz has going for him is his quick feet. Pervizaj looks stiff, upright, and immobile. Other than Pervizaj’s hand speed, he has nothing that is similar to Ruiz. If Joshua is going to get help in dealing with Ruiz’s quick feet, he’s going to need to find another sparring partner that can help him. Pervizaj isn’t the answer in assisting AJ with dealing with the fast feet of Andy.
Ruiz moves like a fighter in the low 220s rather than someone close to 250. He weighed 268 pounds for the Joshua fight last June, and yet he faster than him on his feet. Ruiz is a better athlete than Joshua. His doesn’t have his Hercules physique, but body is better suited to fighting.
Andy Ruiz was never unathletic..let’s just make that clear. 260+ and more agile than a lot of middleweights out there. pic.twitter.com/SlYfvWZk5c
— Austin Ampeloquio (@AustinPaulAmp) June 2, 2019
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