It's not just about how Ruiz carries the weight

He might still be able to fight at that weight but it points to a lack of preparation and mental weakness. Ever walked into am exam room thinking 'crap, I wished I'd prepared better' after convincing yourself for weeks that you'd be alright? I reckon Ruiz is going to wake up in the next few hours and that will be his first thought. Carrying the weight is one thing. What it points to in terms of lack of preparation is another. Then there's the mental demons that come with not having done what you should have for the biggest moment in your life. That will weigh heavier on him than the pounds. All day... and when the fight gets tough. I had it pretty much 50/50 before weigh in. And I was convinced the weigh in wouldn't really matter - but I didn't expect that! I think Ruiz is cooked. If he can't get to Joshua inside the first 3 he gets stopped or retires on his stool between 7 and 9. No mas. It's going to be a Lewis v Tyson, good old fashioned drawn out beat down.

Comments (20)

FeFist

Heard this floating around which makes no sense. AJ isn't training to bully Ruiz, he is training to stick and move. His opponent being slower will make his training more effective. There's a simple science behind coming in at 284lb. He didn't train properly. What a surprise.

6y ago

Toffee

Easy to see the weight had nothing to do with it. Yeah he looked great at that heavier weight, didn't he genius? I thought Joshua would keep him more honest and break him down. In the end I think Joshua realised it that it wasn't required - Ruiz simply wasn't going to catch him or corner him and was happy to move. I don't agree it was a boring fight. Joshua boxed well. It was a true professional against a guy who falls a long way short of that mark.

6y ago

MartialMind

Take away the sombrero, boots, smartphone, and let him take a massive shit. And he'll be about 275 lbs. Even if that was the case he was supposed to have gone down in weight from his last fight. Ruiz just admitted he gained too much weight, which is a total 180 from even a month ago when he kept teasing he'd be coming in trimmer than last time.

6y ago

Redd_Foxx

he gets stopped or retires on his stool between 7 and 9. No mas. Stupid prediction from a troll. Easy to see the weight had nothing to do with it. Being lighter wouldn't have changed his reach or height, which is where the problem lied. Like I predicted after the first fight, this was ALL on AJ and how he performed. I predicted AJ by decision. Knew he would stay safe and box from the outside. It was boring AF, but that's what happened. Ruiz never gassed, didn't get finished, didn't even get hurt or bullied. He just got out-boxed by a much taller man.

6y ago

SNPER

The weight isn't as big issue as I thought after ruiz explanation. The weigh in wasn't the time he expected and he ate 12lb of food and water and not doing a no2 in toilet. Take away the sombrero, boots, smartphone, and let him take a massive shit. And he'll be about 275 lbs.

6y ago

MDPopescu

... some people on this website are saying that "Ruiz knows what he's doing." ... I guess it's a difference between one "knowing what he's doing" and one "doing the right thing"... but time will tell.

6y ago

hugh_grant

The weight isn't as big issue as I thought after ruiz explanation. The weigh in wasn't the time he expected and he ate 12lb of food and water and not doing a no2 in toilet.

6y ago

TJ_highway

Naysayers say nay! It's a crap shoot, I'm sure Ruiz knows what he's doing.

6y ago

FeFist

Well, AJ trained for Miller before and ended up too heavy vs Ruiz. so it makes logical sense that Ruiz's team would bang on about 'being lighter for the rematch' and instead come in heavier, knowing AJ would have trained for a lighter version of Ruiz. if this was a strategy and Ruiz carries it really well, he will use his weight to bully AJ around into corners and unloaded with volume. Imagine a mentally fragile AJ dealing with that from the first round. Quite scary. Heard this floating around which makes no sense. AJ isn't training to bully Ruiz, he is training to stick and move. His opponent being slower will make his training more effective. There's a simple science behind coming in at 284lb. He didn't train properly.

6y ago

springfiels

I agree with OP, there just isn't any way that weight gain can be the result of top quality training and nutrition. At his starting weight, with good training daily, that would mean Ruiz been on 8,000+ calories a day - madness. One thing I will say, is just when you thought the tale of the tape couldn't get any more ridiculous, Joshua loses 10lbs and Ruiz gains 15lbs!!!! Crazy fight coming up...

6y ago

DJS

Na. He just eats crap. He is focused with a good gameplan.

6y ago

_Rexy_

volume puncher??? the guy isnt a volume puncher out of those 7 rounds he only threw over 30 shots in 2 of them hard to throw more than 30 when Joshua keeps falling down :lol1:

6y ago

Inspired

Theoretically, weight would slow Ruiz down when he attempts to cut the ring off. he does fatigue, but after 7-8 rounds. So assuming he begins to fatigue at 5 rounds, that's enough time to hurt AJ. furthermore, aj would be moving more when ruiz controls the centre of the ring. even the threat of ruiz moving will have aj's heart rate going. ALL of this is based on one thing that aj will be ****ed the first time ruiz lands a combination. it may well be that THAT punch was the perfect one and aj could take any other (obv after that first knock down, he was already gone). Ruiz couldnt really hurt Parker for example.

6y ago

boliodogs

I may be wrong, but this is exactly how I feel about this. Ruiz talked a lot about losing weight and his team showed pics of him being leaner, if all this was planned to make AJ think Ruiz was going to be lighter and actually what Ruiz wanted all alone was to be heavier and bully AJ, it'll be a short brutal fight.Ruiz was already way too fat. Coming in fatter than ever won't make him stronger or more able to bully AJ. It can only slow Ruiz down and hurt his stamina. Ruiz is a very good fighter in spite of his fat not because of it. How many great heavyweight champions in the past have been 6 ft. 2 inches and pushing 300 pounds? Exactly none.

6y ago

Weebler_I

Well, AJ trained for Miller before and ended up too heavy vs Ruiz. so it makes logical sense that Ruiz's team would bang on about 'being lighter for the rematch' and instead come in heavier, knowing AJ would have trained for a lighter version of Ruiz. if this was a strategy and Ruiz carries it really well, he will use his weight to bully AJ around into corners and unloaded with volume. Imagine a mentally fragile AJ dealing with that from the first round. Quite scary. Theoretically, weight would slow Ruiz down when he attempts to cut the ring off.

6y ago

boliodogs

After seeing what both men looked like at the weigh in I changed my pick to AJ. I think Ruiz may think he has AJ's number and does not need to train that hard to beat him again. I don't know this to be true but Ruiz promised to be 15 pounds lighter and instead comes in 15 pounds fatter.

6y ago

otrocubiche

Well, AJ trained for Miller before and ended up too heavy vs Ruiz. so it makes logical sense that Ruiz's team would bang on about 'being lighter for the rematch' and instead come in heavier, knowing AJ would have trained for a lighter version of Ruiz. if this was a strategy and Ruiz carries it really well, he will use his weight to bully AJ around into corners and unloaded with volume. Imagine a mentally fragile AJ dealing with that from the first round. Quite scary. I may be wrong, but this is exactly how I feel about this. Ruiz talked a lot about losing weight and his team showed pics of him being leaner, if all this was planned to make AJ think Ruiz was going to be lighter and actually what Ruiz wanted all alone was to be heavier and bully AJ, it'll be a short brutal fight.

6y ago

LarryX

Its about if he uses EPO to be a volume puncher whilst nearly at 300lbs. volume puncher??? the guy isnt a volume puncher out of those 7 rounds he only threw over 30 shots in 2 of them

6y ago

LarryX

He is a fat piece of trash and thanks to Joshua he is now a unified champion

6y ago

ELPacman

I'm not talking about his weight. That's just a result of his training. I'm taking about how prepared he is. A guy his size doesn't go up in weight through training well - I'm talking about whether he is actually ready for this fight and I don't think he is. Ruiz? Listen, the dude either thinks he's got it in the bag or all the fame went to his head. He's been very active on social media advertising all kinds of useless products. Tomorrow we'll see if he feels he can repeat or AJ makes it too difficult to get to him (hit and move). I honestly doubt AJ will elect to trade much this time around knowing the results. I expect Ruiz to stand his ground anytime AJ gets brave but if Ruiz doesn't try to make it a fight and just let's AJ dictate, we'll have an exchange of the belts again.

6y ago