Tag Archives: Andy

Posted on 12/03/2019

By: Sean Crose

One of the more interesting things to be found in the leadup to Saturday’s highly anticipated rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz is a considerable lack of chatter regarding the matter of judging. Perhaps it’s because the first fight was such a thriller or because the stylistic pairing of the combatants is so intriguing. Either way, few are asking what may happen should the fight be competitive while going the distance. Yet it’s a question worth asking. This, after all, is going to be a high level sporting event of some consequence. Such things don’t exist in a bubble. They have an impact on the future….a financial impact.

Consider this….as likeable and engaging as he is, Andy Ruiz is probably not ever going to be a household name. Tall, good looking, engaging Anthony Joshua, however appears to have that Madison Avenue “it” factor. Ruiz may be a modern day Rocky Balboa but Joshua is a potential cash register. One need only look at one of his big fights in England to grasp just exactly what kind of star power the Londoner possess. Such things shouldn’t matter when it comes to deciding a boxing match…but they do. There’s a reason people feel Canelo Alvarez is absolutely incapable at the moment of losing by decision.

The irony, of course, is that the chances of high end judges being criminally corrupt are incredibly slim. Most, if not all, are honest pros in a high pressure job. I remember doing deep research on one particularly controversial judge and finding absolutely nothing to indicate this was anything other than fair minded individual who simply had a knack for making controversial calls. Judges, like the rest of us, can he subjected to the seemingly innocuous elements around us. Sitting ringside changes one’s usual perception of a fight. Things like the crowd, the famous and powerful faces all about, and the outright pressure of the atmosphere can make for a strange experience. This isn’t an excuse for poor judging, simply an assessment of what might lead to it.

With that in mind, it’s almost too easy to see Joshua merely having to stay on his feet while being somewhat competitive on Saturday in order to win back the belts he lost to Ruiz last spring. One could also imagine Joshua moving on after any controversy subsided, essentially no worse for wear. Think of how smoothly Canelo has glided along after his two controversial fights against Gennady Golovkin if you want to know how easy it all can be. Not that Canelo – or Joshua, for that matter – should be seen as villains. They’re hard working guys who happen to be in favor at the moment.

With that in mind, Ruiz may have to blow Joshua out of the water again if he wants to hold onto his belts this weekend.

Posted on 12/02/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Andy Ruiz Jr (33-1, 22 KOs) is currently all the way across the world in Saudi Arabia. On December 7th, he’ll be looking to prove that his June 1st contest against Anthony Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) was no fluke.

Ruiz pulled off the unthinkable when he stopped Joshua in the seventh round of their contest at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. In doing so, he lifted the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO Heavyweight titles.

Since winning, Ruiz has been seen wearing flashy jewelry, riding around in expensive cars and even upgraded to a much bigger home due to the payday he had received. Whispers has since circulated that maybe the fame and fortune has gotten to his head. Ruiz on the other hand has assured everyone that he hasn’t changed in the slightest.

“I’m still the same Andy Ruiz,” said Ruiz. “I’m still the same chubby little fat kid with the big dream. I’m still that person”.

It’s a bit difficult to visualize Ruiz as the Heavyweight champion wouldn’t you agree?

It isn’t because of his skill set as Ruiz is easily one of, if not the best boxer in the entire division. It also is not because of his appearance. Too much is being made of his tubby and stout body.

The reason why it is difficult to envision Ruiz as the Heavyweight champion of the world is because of his demeanor. Former champion Anthony Joshua had a mean streak in him that was apparent time and time again. Current WBC belt holder Deontay Wilder symbolizes fear more than anyone else. Ruiz on the other hand, is just about the nicest young man you will ever meet in your life.

With that being said however, don’t take his mr. nice guy attitude for weakness. Not only is he a cold blooded killer once he steps foot in the ring, but fight fans can expect him to be the same ferocious fighter come fight night.

“Inside the ring, I’m the champion of the world. I’m Mr Hulk in there and I’ve still got a lot to accomplish. This journey now is what I’ve been dreaming about all my life. I accomplished my dreams on June 1 and I’ve still got a lot to prove on Dec 7. Fight fans are going to see the same thing [in Saudi Arabia] they saw on June 1. The guy with big dreams going in there to dominate and to be heavyweight champion. Of course, they’re going to see a lot of fireworks. If he knocks me down, I’m going to get up and knock him down. I know he’ll try to do the same if I knock him down. The main thing is to stay focused and disciplined.”

With one of the biggest upsets in boxing history already in his possession, don’t expect Ruiz to simply walk in with the same game plan. Anthony Joshua was a proud champion and is as motivated as ever to regain his championship glory.

“He is going to try to make adjustments,” said Ruiz. “I don’t know if he wants to exchange punches, but I’d love for him to do that because I’m the more skilled boxer. He’ll try to box me round and use his jab. But for how long? How long can he keep me away from hunting him down? That’s what we’ve been working on most of all right now, heading into the fight. I want to impose myself in this fight, but I don’t want to overlook him. He’s still a dangerous fighter. I respect him and all the fighters who risk their lives inside the ring. He’s going to have some tricks up his sleeve and it’s my job to not let that affect me. The main thing is pressure, throw combinations and use my speed. I can’t let him grow balls in there.”

It’s an interesting choice of words from Ruiz. If Joshua intends to reclaim his titles, he will have to do the one thing that Ruiz hopes does not happen, and that is to grow some balls in the ring.

Posted on 12/02/2019

By: Sean Crose

Anthony Joshua has turned to an old foe to help him train for his rematch with Andy Ruiz this Saturday in Saudi Arabia. “He said loads of stuff to me,” England’s the Daily Sun quotes Joshua as saying of former heavyweight kingpin – and opponent – Wladimir Klitschko. “Wlad was definitely ahead of the game.” Fans and analysts have noticed that Joshua’s physique has changed somewhat in the leadup to this weekend’s heavyweight title matchup. The Londoner thinks that may be the result of taking Klitschko’s advice. “He was giving me dietary and training advice,” Joshua is quoted as saying, “and that is maybe what people are talking about now when they see a difference in my body.”

It makes sense that Joshua would turn to Klitschko – or accept an offer from the Ukrainian for help. For starters, both men are extremely tall and extremely fit. In other words, they fit the bill of the modern “supersized” heavyweight. On top of that, they’re now both famous for being destructible. Ruiz’ stunning stoppage win over Joshua last June at Madison Square Garden in New York showed that, appearances aside, Joshua can be stopped. Klitschko, on the other hand, was stopped numerous times earlier in his career.

Now, it looks as if Joshua may change things up a bit, as Klitschko did before him. Under the tutelage of famed trainer Emanuel Steward, Klitschko went from a power puncher with a glass jaw to a methodical, hard hitting, not always exciting heavyweight force that dominated his division for years. The question, of course, is how much Joshua is willing to change his style in the ring. A frequent criticism of Klitschko during the second half of his career was that the heavyweight kingpin played it too safe, using his enormous size, long reach, and consistent holding tactics, to keep opponents at bay.

Although fans may not be too eager to see Joshua change from the knockout artist who rose to his feet and stopped an aging Klitschko in a 2017 thriller to a safety-first technician in line with the man he once defeated, some are suggesting that might be a smart strategy. For Joshua was done in by going for the kill against Ruiz after he dropped his opponent last spring at Madison Square Garden. Rather than crumble, Ruiz chose to aggressively engage – and it was all downhill for Joshua from there. A more conservative ring strategy might end up serving Joshua well.

If one thing is certain, it’s the fact that Joshua was enormously impacted by the loss to Ruiz. Feeling betrayed by fair weather fans and analysts who proved all too quick to write him off, the 22-1 fighter clearly feels he has a lot to prove when he slips in between the ropes to face the 33-1 Ruiz for a second time. Admitting that Klitschko is “more disciplined” than himself, the 30 year old looks eager to take things up a notch. “I now have things to prove to myself,” the Daily Star quotes him as saying. “I want to take it more seriously because I’m going to that next level.”

Posted on 11/29/2019

By: Sean Crose

“It’s amazing man,” said WBA, IBF, and WBO world heavyweight titlist Andy Ruiz, commenting on Saudi Arabia’s newly constructed Diriyah Arena. “It’s crazy how they built everything in a month and a half. It’s amazing to be fighting over here, it’s going to be really historic and I’m planning to make history over here.” The fifteen thousand seat arena has been erected specifically to house next Saturday’s rematch between Ruiz and the man he beat, former titlist Anthony Joshua, in an upset thriller last spring. The bout, which will be aired live on the DAZN streaming service, is quite possibly the most anticipated fight of the year.

Per Matchroom Boxing, which is promoting the match: “The 15,000-seater stadium has been constructed in the ancient remains of Saudi Arabia’s first capital, a place fittingly known as the ‘home of kings and heroes.” Ruiz was clearly impressed with how fast the facility had been constructed. “It’s a lot different. When I first got here none of this was here so it’s unbelievable. All the workers and all the people who have put their efforts in, their designs in, this event and this arena is just something amazing.”

Some have been vocally opposed to Ruiz-Joshua2 going down in a nation regularly targeted for engaging in human rights abuses. The promoters decided to move ahead, however, and now all eyes will be on Saudi Arabia, rather than New York, Las Vegas, or London. As for the defending champion, the 33-1 Ruiz is focusing on the considerable challenge of besting the 22-1 Joshua a second time. “Right now, we are meditating, we are preparing, we are getting sharper in the ring and training as well,” the fighter known as “Destroyer” claimed. “We are visualizing the fight and becoming victorious.”

Ruiz literally stunned the sports’ world in early June when he stopped Joshua in the Englishman’s American debut at Madison Square Garden. It was arguably supposed to be a pit stop in the undefeated Joshua’s stunning career, a chance for the man to introduce himself in person to American audiences before eventually moving on to more colorful battles with the likes of Deontay Wilder, and/or Tyson Fury. The pudgy challenger ruined a lot of plans that night, but probably gained a lot of fans, as well, as everyone loves a Rocky story. “To all my fans please come and support me,” said Ruiz. “it’s going to be a huge fight, it’s the Clash On The Dunes. We are two big guys fighting each other looking to be the Heavyweight Champion of the World.”

Although he won the first battle with Joshua, it wasn’t a one sided affair, and fans and analysts are wondering exactly how this rematch will turn out. “He’s trying to take my belts away,” Ruiz claimed, “so I’m going to do everything that’s possible to win and I’m going to do it for all my people.” As for what fans can expect on December 7th when he faces Joshua for the second time, Ruiz was abundantly clear. “They can expect to see someone who is not giving up,” he said, “and doing everything possible to win, God willing we are going to take this victory.”

Posted on 11/27/2019

By: Sean Crose

“It feels good,” said WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz upon his arrival in Saudi Arabia for his December 7th rematch against former undefeated divisional kingpin Anthony Joshua. “You know I made history in New York and I’ll make history again in Saudi Arabia.” Ruiz shocked the fight world last June when he stopped Joshua in the Englishman’s American debut at Madison Square Garden. What was essentially supposed to be a glorified tuneup for Joshua on the road to a mega fight with Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury ended up being one of the sport’s biggest upsets in decades.

According to Matchroom Boxing, which is promoting Ruiz-Joshua 2: “The Mexican-American fighter followed his challenger Anthony Joshua into the Kingdom, touching down at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh in the early hours of today to set up his own training camp to prepare for the epic bout on December 7.” This will only be the second of the 22-1 Joshua’s fights to take place out of his United Kingdom homeland. Ruiz, on the other hand, has fought in places as diverse as the United States, Mexico, China, and New Zealand. Although reportedly hesitant at first to fight in Saudi Arabia, the defending champion is expected to receive a warm welcome.

In fact, a brand new outdoor arena has been built specially for the occasion of the rematch. Per Matchroom: “The first-ever Heavyweight World Title fight to take place in the Middle East will be staged in the custom-built 15,000 seat Diriyah Arena in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site, known as the home of heroes and kings.” Promoter Eddie Hearn is (unsurprisingly) coming across as thrilled with the new facility. “The arena and site are utterly breath-taking,” he said, “with a theme park and concert the night before (the fight) as well. It’s like nothing we’ve seen before in boxing. The Clash On The Dunes will be a night to remember. We can’t wait.”

Although this will be the first major boxing match to go down in Saudi Arabia, officials clearly feel like the Kingdom is rising to the occasion. “On the night (of the fight),” Matchroom claimed, “more than 2,000 staff will ensure proceedings run smoothly in the arena, 95 percent of which is reusable, and which will take a month to take down.”

Joshua-Ruiz 2, the “Clash On The Dunes,” will be aired live on the DAZN streaming service.

Posted on 11/25/2019

By Hans Themisode

First they love you, then they quickly forget about you.

In just a few months time, former unified Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has become a forgotten man.

Just before he stepped into the ring with Andy Ruiz Jr on June 1st, at Madison Square Garden, Joshua was viewed as the best Heavyweight on the planet. He had the best resume and credentials to back it up as well.

Joshua only turned pro in 2013, but he was quickly running through the division. In a timespan of four years, Joshua knocked out long reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian Whyte, Dominic Breazeale and Charles Martin. In short, he was the man to beat in the division.

Wins over Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin and Carlos Takam only strengthened this claim.

There was only one issue with what Joshua was doing. Every single one of his wins were taking place in the United Kingdom. Sure they were impressive, but who really cares? He was a virtual unknown in America and seemed hesitant to make the trek over here.

Everything changed when Joshua decided it was time to head over to America. The previously mentioned thought of Joshua not being a star in America weren’t exactly true as fans came in droves to see him take on little known Andy Ruiz Jr.

By now you have heard of it. The upset that literally shock the entire sports world. Ruiz would go on to climb off the deck in the third round to drop Joshua twice in the same round. He would repeat the same process again in the seventh en route to a stoppage win.

Before the contest, Ruiz was viewed as just a stepping stone. Joshua would receive minimal credit at best for defeating him. Now that Ruiz has pulled off the upset in their encounter, Joshua wants a whole new level of respect when he defeats him in their rematch will take place on December 7th, in Saudi Arabia.

“I’m fighting the best man in the world now. I’m going to whup him. I’ll show how great I am,” said Joshua. “They think he’s so great. So when I beat him I want everybody to bow to my feet and tell me how great I am.”

It makes a ton of sense doesn’t it?

Let’s be honest here. If Joshua was to do what was expected of him the first time around, no one would have batted an eye. Now that Ruiz is widely viewed by many to be the best in the division, he wants his respect.

“I couldn’t beat Ruiz Jr before and get the credit I deserved. Apparently I’m fighting the quickest hands. The best fighter in the division. So once I beat him I want everybody to bow to me.”

In order for Joshua to gain this other worldly amount of respect he is looking for, he will need to get past Andy Ruiz Jr on December 7th. If the first fight was any indication however, that task won’t be an easy one for Joshua.

Posted on 11/14/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The biggest fight left on the boxing calendar for 2019 will take place in less than one month when former unified champion Anthony Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) takes on the man who stripped him of his titles in Andy Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs). The match will take place in Saudi Arabia on December 7th, and the entire boxing world has been buzzing.

Both fighters have been fully focused on the other as they close out their training camps shortly.

Although this contest holds plenty of significance, the winner will have no shortage of options for their next fight.

As it currently stands the WBO, WBA and IBF titles will be on the line in this bout. IBF Mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) has been waiting for his crack at the title for well over a year now. He was originally scheduled to face Joshua in 2017 but was forced to withdraw due to an injury.

His unfortunate setback hasn’t slowed him down one bit however as he has won three straight contests. Pulev now waits patiently for the results of December 7th, but he isn’t the only one standing in a mandatory position.

The former undisputed Cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (17-0, 13 KOs) made his long awaited debut at the Heavyweight division after completely clearing out the Cruiserweight weight class. Usyk stopped late replacement opponent Chazz Witherspoon in the seventh round back in October at the Wintrust Arena, in Chicago, Illinois. He is now waiting in line as the next challenger to the December 7th contest as the WBO mandatory.

Who exactly will get the next shot is where the confusion lies.

For those who are unaware, each sanctioning body is given an order in which a mandatory fight must happen. With the winner of the December 7th, bout possessing three titles, the IBF mandatory is set to be the first in line.

“Kubrat Pulev’s next fight will be for the IBF world heavyweight title,” said Pulev’s promoter. “If the Joshua-Ruiz winner decides not to fight Pulev, his next fight will be for the vacant IBF title.”

Waiting for not only the December 7th, rematch but also for another contest between Pulev and the winner might not sit well with Usyk.

“We’re going to have a problem where Usyk and Pulev both say you’ve got to fight me next,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Some belt could become vacant, because the IBF and the WBO are both going to order their mandatories after Joshua-Ruiz Jr. Unless a deal can be done with someone, you’ve either got to do that, or vacate.”

This would be a nightmarish situation for fans. Finding an undisputed Heavyweight champion hasn’t been done since Lenox Lewis accomplished the feat two decades ago with his victory over fellow hall of famer Evander Holyfield in 1999. If the the WBO or IBF belt is indeed vacated, then it will leave boxing fans waiting even longer before they can see an undisputed Heavyweight titlist.

The thought of sitting back and waiting his turn could be a frustrating one for Usyk. However, he could choose to take on another fighter in the meantime.

There have been rumbles from numerous sources that a showdown between Usyk and Dereck Chisora could take place. The aforementioned Chisora has long been critical of the fighting style of Usyk and believes he would hand him his first defeat.

A bout against Chisora could be a risky one for Usyk. He is already in a mandatory position and Chisora would provide a much sterner test than the one he received from Chazz Witherspoon. Chisora is also on a roll at the moment, winning his past three contest with two of those wins coming via stoppage.

A showdown between them might be viewed as a high risk-low reward type scenario, but Usyk’s team isn’t opposed to the contest taking place.

“We don’t know what happens on December 7,” said Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas. “But if it is possible to fight in between and not to wait for another six months, I think Chisora will be a good fight for Usyk”

As much as Usyk would hate to admit it, he has his hands tied. Pulev will receive his title shot first, which will force the former Cruiserweight champion to wait a bit longer. With that being said, there is a good chance that the winner of the December 7th rematch opts to just vacate the belt. In that scenario, we could see him and Chisora face off for the newly vacated title.

Whether a contest between Usyk and Chisora is for a belt or not, it seems as though we are heading towards a showdown between them in 2020 regardless.

Posted on 09/08/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Before Anthony Joshua was defeated by Andy Ruiz on June 1st, at Madison Square Garden, he was the consensus best Heavyweight on the planet. With a gold medal around his neck and three titles around his waist, it wasn’t hard to see why. Joshua had the goods.

Now that he has tasted defeat for the first time in his career, other big name Heavyweights have moved ahead of him, at least in the eyes of the public. WBC belt holder Deontay Wilder and Lineal champion Tyson Fury are the first two that come to mind.

They are after all, undefeated and have mowed down the competition. Whether its Fury or Wilder is a matter of preference. There is no doubt that they are the best in the division. That might be the overwhelming sentiment shared by many in the sport, but don’t count Joshua amongst those believe those words. He doesn’t believe that he is the best either. Instead, he believes his December 7th, in Saudi Arabia, Andy Ruiz is the best man at this current moment.

“We can’t overlook Andy and his talent and his success in the ring as I’m fighting the best out there right now,” said Joshua. “In my opinion Andy Ruiz is the best heavyweight out there.”

Ruiz is a terrific fighter and has been for a long time. Before his upset of Joshua he was given no chance in that contest. Since then he has seen his stock rise and his popularity soar, but is he truly the best fighter in the division?

The new unified champion has been underrated his entire career. As an amateur he won 105 of his 110 fights. As a pro he won his first 29 contest until he lost a close and some what disputed decision against Joseph Parker in his first crack at a world title. He would go on to win his next three fights in a row before ultimately unseating Joshua.

Even with the skills that Ruiz possesses, no one outside of Joshua would consider him the best Heavyweight in the division. Wilder would seemingly land something concussive while Fury could box circles around him. That isn’t to say that Ruiz couldn’t win either of those fights because he could but it also seems unlikely.

So what was the thought process behind the words spouted by Joshua? That’s simple. It wasn’t hyperbole nor was it a way for Ruiz to let his guard down.

Joshua viewed himself as the best Heavyweight fighter before losing to Ruiz. No one, not even Klitschko gave him a more difficult contest than Ruiz. The former champion is simply acknowledging the greatness of his opponent.

It may not seem true to anyone else but to Joshua he certainly does believe that Andy Ruiz is the best fighter in the Heavyweight division.

Posted on 09/06/2019

By: Sean Crose

Andy Ruiz stunned the world on June 1st when he bested heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden in a bout that was streamed live in America on the DAZN streaming service. Now, it’s been announced that DAZN will be exclusively streaming the rematch between the two heavyweights, which will go down in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on December 7th. “Their first fight captured the world’s attention and once again illustrated that you never know what will happen when two heavyweight boxers enter a ring,” Joseph Markowski, DAZN EVP, North America, claims. “Ruiz vs. Joshua II is by far the most-anticipated rematch in recent memory and adds to DAZN’s year-end schedule, which will be the best stretch of boxing that fans have seen in years.”

Mathroom Boxing honcho Eddie Hearn, who is promoting Ruiz-Joshua 2, is eager to sing the praises of a DAZN broadcast: “June 1, 2019 was a day that will be forever etched in boxing history,” he says. “Andy Ruiz caused one of the great boxing upsets of all time when him and Anthony Joshua engaged in an epic battle in front of a sold-out MSG. The noise about the rematch has been deafening: Will it happen? Where will it be? Who will win? Step up the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who will now host one of the biggest and most iconic boxing events of our generation. Held at a 16,000-person purpose built stadium that will stand within the UNESCO heritage site in Diriyah, ‘Clash on the Dunes’ will follow in the footsteps of the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ and ‘Thrilla in Manila.’ The whole world will stop to watch this fight and sports fans across America will get the chance to watch it all unfold live on DAZN.”

DAZN launched in the US roughly a year ago, and has it made it a point to become a true force in the boxing landscape. Not only has the service teamed up with Joshua, it’s also teamed with Canelo Alvarez, unquestionably the most lucrative active boxer on the planet at the moment. Add in names like Gennady Golovkin, Billy Joe Saunders, Demetrius Andrade, and others, and it becomes clear that DAZN has been willing to put its money where its mouth is (such talent, especially on the level of Joshua, Canelo, and Golovkin, doesn’t come cheap). Ruiz’ shocking upset of Joshua last spring, however, took some luster off of one DAZN’s biggest names.

With that in mind, the Ruiz upset has made for a very intriguing rematch, one which is happening quite quickly after the original fight, if modern day standards are to be applied. At the moment, Ruiz-Josha 2 may be the biggest event in the sport. That means a lot of eyeballs are apt to be focused on DAZN December 7th. Should Joshua win, there’s a good chance for other major heavyweight bouts to appear on the streaming service. Should Joshua lose again, however, it might be a big loss for DAZN, for Ruiz is aligned with Al Haymon, who generally does business with Fox and Showtime. WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder also fights under Haymon’s stable, while Tyson Fury, the division’s other big name, is entrenched with promoter Bob Arum and ESPN.

Posted on 09/05/2019

By: Sean Crose

“There’s Las Vegas,” Matchroom Boxing honcho Eddie Hearn said on Wednesday. “There’s New York. There’s London. No. There’s a whole world out there. And now there’s Saudi Arabia for boxing. This is such a monumental opportunity for our sport.” Hearn was speaking at a table that stood before a unique looking (at least to western boxing fans) sand colored stone wall. On either side of him was WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight champion of the world, Andy Ruiz Jr, and the man who Ruiz won those titles from last June, Anthony Joshua. These men were in Saudi Arabia, gathered, of course, to announce Ruiz-Joshua 2, the unexpected fight of the year, which will go down live at a specially designed Saudi stadium on December 7th.

“I never thought I’d be fighting outside of London or outside of America,” said Joshua, “so its a blessing and I’m happy to be here.” Always the good sport, Joshua claimed that “Andy’s champion right now,” but added “that will last until December the seventh.” Joshua spoke pleasantly enough, but there was an intensity his eyes during the event that was hard not to notice. “I’m really looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “We’re going to have a really good night of boxing, and that’s what we’re here for.” Ruiz may not have much in common with the man he won his titles from, but, like Joshua, he pushes the trash talk aside.

“June first I made my dreams come true,” he said. “I know Anthony Joshua is coming hard. He’s going to come strong. I know he’s going to be preparing really good…but so am I.” The California based fighter then went on to make a prediction. “I’m going to win here in the same fashion, the same way I won June 1st, and I’m going to prove everybody wrong.” After stunning the world by besting Joshua late last spring, Ruiz has seen his heart and dedication be questioned thanks to whispers that he has been too busy living the good life instead of being focused on his craft. “The hunger still remains,” he countered on Wednesday. “I don’t want it to be a fifteen minute thing, you know?”

Although Ruiz’ victory over Joshua may have ruined the plans the English fighter and his promoter may have had for super fights with Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, Hearn was clearly setting out to make lemons out of lemonade on Wednesday. “On June the first, at a sold out Madison Square Garden, we witnessed one of the great heavyweight upsets of all time,” he said. “On December the seventh in Diriya, we do it again. For your entertainment in a purpose built arena, open air, 16,000 people.”

“It’s just going to be an exciting fight,” Ruiz claimed, “helluva fight, two big heavyweights punching each other in the face. It’s going to be exciting.”

Posted on 08/15/2019

By: Hans Themistode

With so many conflicting reports coming out of both camps regarding the rematch between Anthony Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) and Andy Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs), what exactly should boxing fans believe?

Let’s start at the beginning.

When negotiations began, many believed that the United States and the United Kingdom were only two destinations in play. There was a bit of noise in terms of bringing the fight to Ruiz homeland of Mexico, but that never really picked up steam.

The rematch seemed destined to take place at either Wembley Stadium or back at Madison Square Garden. It came to the shock of everyone that Saudi Arabia was chosen as the destination. It was clear to see that money was the driving factor behind the rematch taking place half way across the world.

The contest may not be taking place in where many believed it should but, nevertheless, fans had the fight they wanted signed, booked and delivered. At least, that is what they thought.

Andy Ruiz vs Anthony Joshua 2, is the biggest fight of the year. Yet, both fighters were mum on the subject on their social media platforms. Things became even more confusing when a press conference was held in the U.K with both fighters absent from the event. Can you remember the last time a mega fight was announced without either participant at the actual conference?

I can’t either.

Although Saudi Arabia is an odd place for the rematch to take place, that does not seem to be the biggest issue. Like many negotiations, money seems to be the sticking point that is fueling Ruiz.

According to several reports, Ruiz originally signed a rematch clause in his first bout with Joshua which promised him nine million should there be a rematch. A figure that seems far too low for a fighter of his current stature.

Just recently Ruiz broke his silence and indicated to his fans that the rematch would take place but more so on his terms, not Joshua’s.

“The fight is going to happen soon,” said Ruiz during his instagram live. “We are going to make the fight happen but the fight is going to happen on my terms and we’re going to bring it back to the United States. Joshua is scared, that’s why he is trying to make the fight in Arabia. I don’t have any protection over there.”

If you are a fan of boxing, just what exactly should you believe at this point? That is a difficult question to answer. The fight will certainly happen this year. It is the biggest fight that can be made in the entire sport. Just exactly where it will take place however, seems to still be up in the air.

Posted on 08/13/2019

By: Sean Crose

Strangely enough, neither man was there. In a press conference to officially announce the highly anticipated rematch between former heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua, and the man who stunned the world by besting him, Andy Ruiz, promoter Eddie Hearn did his best to hype the impending bout. With neither Joshua or Ruiz present, however, it proved to be an off seeming affair. Ruiz-Joshua 2 is scheduled to go down on December 7th in Saudi Arabia, though word is making the rounds that Ruiz is unhappy with the arrangement. Still, Hearn spoke in detail about the Saudi Arabia location for the match.

“For us,” said Hearn, “we really wanted to go somewhere where they believed in the sport of boxing and they had a vision.” The promoter went on to praise Saudi Arabia as a qualified host country. “I was lucky enough to attend the World Boxing Super Series,” Hearn continued. “It was a fantastic event, not just for the logistical setup but because of the vibrancy of the crowd, the interest in the sport of boxing. And of course, recently they staged another fight with Amir Khan.”

Ruiz shocked not only the boxing world, but the entire sports world when he essentially beat up Joshua last June in Joshua’s American debut. The Madison Square Garden hosted bout was supposed to be Joshua’s introduction to the American public. Ruiz was essentially a last minute replacement opponent for Joshua after Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller had to drop out due to positive drug tests. In other words, not much was expected of the Mexican-American slugger. To claim Ruiz over-performed would be an overstatement. The heavyset challenger dropped Joshua numerous times before the bout was finally stopped in round seven.

Although he was stunned and thoroughly beaten, Joshua took the loss like a gentleman. The now 22-1 Englishman has also proven ready to redeem himself since the loss. With a rematch clause in place, it was essentially only a matter of where and when Joshua would face the now 33-1 Ruiz again. With a date and location set, Hearn was effusive Monday about the fight being scheduled in a unique location. Ever the salesman, the smooth promoter claimed that “this event can change boxing forever…You could be seeing a big change in the dynamics of the sport.” Hearn added that “with curiosity, the whole world will be watching this fight.”

While the fact that Ruiz-Joshua 2 is scheduled to go down in the middle east is now unarguably a major part of the story, it also brings with it a degree of controversy, something the media is already beginning to take note of. Saudi Arabia is widely seen as a nation ripe with human rights abuses, something that will no doubt continue to be noted as the countdown for the match begins. Whether the country’s reputation will keep fans from embracing Ruiz-Joshua 2 remains to be seen.

Posted on 06/24/2019

By: Waqas Ali

Former unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua looks to be in the hopes of a rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr later this year.

The fight is expected to take place in the U.S at Madison Square Garden. Some have speculated it to be set in the UK. However, nothing has been officially confirmed by either camp or even Eddie Hearn.

Joshua, 29, in light of the rematch will be coming back from a devastating loss that shocked the boxing world.

He came in the bout unbeaten with 22 wins in the bag and expected to finish off Ruiz in a couple of rounds.

Ruiz (33-1) on the hand was quickly dismissed to his size and physique. He came in to the fight weighing 268 pounds.

The Mexican-American fighter convinced everyone that he wasn’t going to be taken lightly as they thought.

He came back from a knockdown in round three and produced two of his own in the exact same round.

From rounds three to six, Ruiz was dominating and breaking the range as Joshua had no answer to his attack. In round seven, Ruiz produced another knockdowns and stopped Joshua.

He became the second fighter of Latino heritage to become a world heavyweight champion and the first ever Mexican to win it.

After the fight, several theories ran around the boxing world considering Joshua’s performance.

The fact that he had a panic attack, was dropped in sparring a week before, given a massage in the changing room, didn’t train in his boxing properly and focused on weights, took a picture with Drake or the fact that he had nerves fighting abroad in an arena and a crowd that he wasn’t familiar with back in the UK.

Other than the theory of the curse of Drake, nothing of the other theories have been proven or even confirmed by Joshua.

It seemed that Joshua was simply out-boxed and out-worked.

Fighters such as former two-time world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan and one of boxing’s greatest fighters of all time Roy Jones Jr have insisted that a rematch with Ruiz is not a good option for ‘AJ’.

One of boxing’s respected trainers in the business Freddie Roach also stated that Joshua wouldn’t be able to win in a rematch.

Even Ruiz himself believes that Joshua is no match for him in the rematch.

“The rematch is going to be the same. I am going to be more prepared and more ready,” Ruiz said.
“I know his flaws. I can do a lot better. The only thing that he can do is just run around, he’s not good at boxing.”

But the question remains is what improvements does Joshua have to make and can he avenge his loss?
Based on his reach (82”) and height (6 foot 6), the Englishman needs to keep the fight at long range and maintain the distance from Ruiz.

By maintaining distance, he needs to use the ring more and get a feel of it. Jab constantly on the outside to keep Ruiz from attacking and retaliating. But throw power punches to the body with consistency.

By doing that, it will slow the pace and stamina of Ruiz and tire him out. It is a must move and he has to avoid any exchanges on the inside considering the questionable chin of Joshua.

According to Compubox, Joshua landed only one power shot to Ruiz’s body.

Smaller fighters tend be more threatening on the inside because of their small reach and height and the power they possess when providing shots. The speed and capability of 29-year-old Ruiz is not be underestimated and clearly this has proven fourth.

The punches of Ruiz are sweet to see but sour to taste.

On whether he’d look to fight Fury or Wilder if he beats Joshua in their rematch later this year, he told K.O. Artist Sports: ‘First I want to focus on the rematch. You know a lot of people, and I’m speaking to Joshua too, because he was overlooking me and saying “After I beat Andy I’m going to fight Wilder” and this and that, instead of being focused on me. ‘I think that’s what I want to do right now, just focus on the rematch. I don’t care who I’m going to fight next after I win, the main thing right now is just to fight Anthony Joshua and beat him.

Considering all the evidence bought forward, it is clear that Joshua has to win the rematch in order to be back in the frame of the boxing heavyweight limelight.

Nobody will know what was going through Joshua’s mind on the night of the fight but one can speculate possibilities as to what really affected him mentally and psychologically.

However, one cannot take away the credibility, dedication and comeback from Ruiz. He proved to the boxing world that judging a fighter based on his size is an underestimation.

A great shock he provided and without doubt one of the biggest upsets in modern boxing. A true fan favourite and astonishing figure in his home country of America and national origin of Mexico. A fighting champion. For Mexico. For America.

Posted on 06/06/2019

By: Oliver McManus

There’s an American legend that tells of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Library in San Diego; an apparently perfect piece of manmade design. Except when it was being designed the architect forgot to allow for the weight of the books, leaving the third floor completely empty as cracks began to appear, literally, in the foundations – at least that’s the fantasised version: in reality it’s just an open forum. The expertly chiselled physique of Anthony Joshua, the last known gift from the Greek gods as they seek to atone for that pesky wooden horse, begins to echo the fable of the library as his status slowly sinks – meticulous design let down by a blip of the mind.

Reflecting on the seismic surprise from the weekend is an arduous task as you seek to strike the right balance between telling the ‘headline’ – Anthony Joshua losing his world titles in unprecedented circumstances – and telling the ‘story’ – Andy Ruiz’ rise from an impoverished background to unified champion of the world. Everyone was a critic when the fight was announced, myself included, for varying reasons. For me it was the ongoing saga that started with “AJ commit(ing) his future to Wembley” and ended up with a, seemingly, uninspiring opponent on just a few weeks notice all the while sitting behind pay-per-view. For others it was the aesthetics of Andy Ruiz that provided a few easy potshots.

Ruiz who should, by rights and record, be viewed as an established heavyweight in a dwindling throng of contenders was denigrated by an age where Twitter opinions read like a gravestone. It was easy to get taken in by the swamp of people who were writing Ruiz off – after all why should he have stood a chance against the immortalised powers of Anthony Joshua? It seemed an absolute eternity since Ruiz went hammer and tong at Joseph Parker and, since then, he had bubbled under the radar thanks to a dispute with Top Rank.

Yet Andy Ruiz had the perfect style to inflict Joshua’s first defeat; Eddie Hearn’s cash cow has always looked most vulnerable when he’s been met with fire, ironic given those flaming ‘AJ’s’ that get rolled out at every opportunity. Alexander Povetkin and, to an extent, Dillian Whyte laid down the blueprint for beating Joshua; hit him first and don’t back off. There was a feeling that Joshua was fighting with Deontay Wilder’s knockout of Dominic Breazeale lingering somewhere in the alleys of his mind – looking to outgun his fiercest rival. It was working, too, until he got that knockdown in the third round – a knockdown that many anticipated would result in the crumbling of Ruiz after a gutsy three rounds; that is, after all, how the script usually goes.

Quite the opposite, however, as Joshua began to look complacent and comfortable within himself whilst Ruiz rallied and set about swarming the champion with shot after shot with energy and aggression reminiscent of a puppy dog chasing after a laser beam. From the moment of that knockdown, Ruiz was first to the punch each and every time and he refused to let Joshua have the time to think about plotting any explosive finish. As Ruiz began to land with increasing accuracy and frequency, the urgency of Joshua flatlined. He was apathetic each time he was forced to take a knee – on all four occasions – fighting with indifference despite the fact his empirical reign was visibly shattering before him.

The fight was beaten out of him and his mind seemed to escape him at some point between the third and fourth round: from there it was only a matter of time before the body followed and, so it proved, that after four rounds of being broken down – piece by piece – the referee had seen enough with just over half the seventh round to go. That’s perhaps the most alarming thing of the defeat, this wasn’t a lucky shot or an explosive one-punch knockout but a comprehensive, sustained breakdown of Joshua’s fighting spirit. This was not brutal, bloodied or concussive but the dejected defeat of a man.

In many ways this could be worse, in the long run, than getting sparked suddenly.

All that being said, this does not make Anthony Joshua a bad fighter overnight. Nor does it mean he was ‘exposed’, let’s be clear on that. We’ve got to be cautious not to forget the merits on which Joshua became champion whilst also not shy away from the fact he was beaten hands down. Given his record of unifying titles, successfully defending belts on six occasions and becoming world champion in his 16th fight, it defies logic to see so many people looking now to derail the achievements of Joshua. He has got things to work on, big gaps in his armory, but he’s also achieved more than any other heavyweight during the last three years.

The bubble has been burst, though, and the blueprint that we knew existed has been successfully put into action. Ruiz is very unlikely to change his approach for any such rematch because he executes that swarming style of pressure so well and the onus is on Joshua to prove he is as good as we all thought and is capable of adapting and learning – even if he is a relatively ‘old dog’ at this stage in the professional game.

Should we be looking for excuses for Anthony Joshua, should be wanting answers as to why he looked so underwhelming or does that only serve to discredit the achievements of Ruiz? Naturally we’re all curious as to what could possibly have happened, if anything at all, but the never-ending spiel from social media ‘insiders’ as to the shading of his skin, depth of breathing, you name it, just reeks of desperation that you’d never see from Joshua. We can say what we want of him but there’s one thing that has always been abundantly clear, amid all the hype and hyperbole, and that’s that Joshua is a gentleman and would never seek to make excuses so we shouldn’t do on his behalf.

Ruiz was simply the better man and a Joshua win in the rematch is certainly far from clear-cut simply because of the adaptations he needs to make; either he needs to be first to the punch or needs to adjust to fighting on the back foot under that pressure from Ruiz. Flick back to the ‘Ali ages’ as opposed to the ‘Mayweather era’ where losses were commonplace and this could be the best thing that happens in Joshua’s career – a kick up the jacksie to remind him that this is heavyweight boxing and you don’t have it all your own way. That or it could begin the collapse of Joshua’s princely spell at the top of the heavyweight division.

Posted on 06/04/2019

By Jonah Dylan

Andy Ruiz absolutely shocked the world on Saturday night. Sure, people had laid out “paths to victory” for Ruiz, but they’d done the exact same thing for Dominic Breazeale before Deontay Wilder brutally knocked him out in the first round two weeks ago. The moment can’t be understated – it was one of the biggest upsets in recent boxing history, and it won’t soon be forgotten.

Aside from the mammoth that was Joshua-Ruiz, we had a number of title fights on the undercard from Madison Square Garden. Here are my five takeaways from the weekend.

1. Like it or not, Joshua’s loss probably hurts boxing as a whole

There’s no question a matchup between Anthony Joshua and Wilder was the biggest fight in boxing coming into Saturday night. Even accepting that it wasn’t likely to happen until late 2020 at the earliest, Joshua-Wilder was the extremely rare event that would’ve crossed over from boxing fans to mainstream sports fans. Two undefeated champions in their prime, both with clear vulnerabilities, for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world. The fight sold itself (that is, if Eddie Hearn and Al Haymon were actually willing to sell it).

Joshua-Wilder could still happen, and it’s still a fight a lot of people would like to see. Wilder would now be expected to win, because he’s a bigger puncher than Ruiz (and everyone) and Joshua’s chin was exposed once again. Now, though, Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs) versus Tyson Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs) is the fight people want to see, and if all goes according to plan we’ll get it in early 2020. It’s a great rematch, but it won’t have anything close to the demand of Joshua-Wilder before Saturday.

Even if the fight does get made eventually, it won’t attract as many casual sports fans as it would’ve if both guys were undefeated. To be honest, I’d rather see Terence Crawford-Errol Spence, another fight that seems unlikely to happen. The difference there is that neither guy seems particularly vulnerable, and it’s hard to see anyone beating Crawford or Spence except for the other guy. That fight can marinate and marinate.

Even if Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) beats Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) in their immediate rematch, he’ll have a harder time selling the fight, and Wilder now has more leverage in their negotiations. Less people will watch Wilder-Joshua than they would’ve before Saturday, and that’s bad for the sport as a whole.

And one more thing: we have no idea what sanctioning bodies will do, but remember what happened after Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko to win these three belts in November 2015? When Klitschko exercised his right to an immediate rematch, the IBF still ordered Fury to make a mandatory defense, and he had no choice but to vacate the belt. I would not be surprised if the IBF orders Ruiz to fight Kubrat Pulev (27-1, 14 KOs), knowing full well he has to fight Joshua next. This might crush the chance of seeing an undisputed heavyweight champion for a long, long time.

2. Andy Ruiz deserves way more credit than he’s getting

For all the talk about Joshua’s shortcomings, can we recognize the unified heavyweight champion of the world for a second? Ruiz is fun because he doesn’t look like an athlete, and a lot of people will never get over that. But he came in with an excellent gameplan and executed it to perfection. He used his impressive work rate to frustrate Joshua and moved enough to avoid getting tagged with Joshua’s looping punches.

He also exposed Joshua more than anyone else had. He wasn’t worried about Joshua’s jab, which could have been a major weapon against a much shorter opponent. He knew Joshua would go for the kill after the knockdown, and he didn’t let up when he had Joshua hurt (the mistake that cost Klitschko so dearly). I’d like to how he’d approach fights against Fury or Wilder, or even Dillian Whyte.

And let’s just restate it, because it is really pretty unbelievable. In a hostile environment where almost everyone was on Joshua’s side, Ruiz got up off the canvas in the third round and immediately staggered the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. Then, he stayed calm and waited for his moment to get the finish and earned three world title belts, leaving jaws dropped across the world.

3. Callum Smith is the man at super middleweight, and it’s hard to even make an argument against him

I’m not saying Hassan N’dam is a top-level opponent, but the way in which Smith (26-0, 19 KOs) demolished him over three rounds in the Joshua-Ruiz co-feature was something to behold. Smith is absolutely massive at 168 and looks much, much bigger than everyone he gets in the ring with. He hadn’t fought since he sent George Groves into retirement in September, so let’s hope for more activity over the next year.

What Smith desperately wants and arguably needs is a fight against Canelo Alvarez, but it makes more sense for everybody if Alvarez first fights a trilogy with Gennady Golovkin. Promotional issues aside, I don’t think there’s anyone at 168 Smith wouldn’t knock out. The other champions are Billy Joe Saunders (28-0, 13 KOs), Andre Dirrell (26-3, 16 KOs) and Caleb Plant (18-0, 10 KOs). Smith-Saunders would be an interesting fight stylistically, but I think Smith would eventually catch Saunders with a big shot and put him away. It’s also very unlikely because Saunders is with Frank Warren and Smith is with Hearn.

There’s been some chatter that Dmitry Bivol (16-0, 11 KOs) wants to move down to 168, and he’d be a solid fight for Smith. David Benavidez (21-0, 18 KOs) will first want a crack at Dirrell and the WBC belt, but he could at least put up some resistance against Smith. Still, there’s nothing besides the Canelo fight that excites me for Smith.

So he’ll continue to be in a kind of dead zone unless he moves up to 175, but let’s hope Smith finds himself in an interesting fight sooner rather than later.