Will This L Make Joshua Better Or Have We Seen His High Water Mark?

[Clegg]

''Fast'' hands that are kept at a distance are ineffective. AJ let Andy get close and Andy ain't about that fancy footwork.

People who don't like AJ will heap all kinds of praise on Andy. Thing is, a simple tweak and AJ makes minced meat of Andy.

AJ, fight big, fight long and make him pay each time he takes a forward step.

This instruction isn't brain surgery.

His conditioning regimen needs to be reevaluated.

AJ tried fighting long and what we got was a low-activity staring competition for 30 seconds at a time in several of the rounds because Ruiz stood off rather than marching forward. That's bad for AJ because he's clearly a less relaxed fighter than Ruiz. AJ burns nervous energy, to stand back and try and anticipate if Ruiz is about to commit or feint or just stand still made him look uncomfortable.

Also AJ kept missing the right hand, then had success with the left hook but then Ruiz got smart to that and made him miss, then was able to time him and land his own left hook. There were times when AJ tried body shots and got timed by a left hook as well.

It's true we shouldn't overrate Ruiz but he showed some quality and especially seemed to be able to predict AJ's attacks, or at least see shots coming and react in time.

[Curtis Harper]

AJ tried fighting long and what we got was a low-activity staring competition for 30 seconds at a time in several of the rounds because Ruiz stood off rather than marching forward. That's bad for AJ because he's clearly a less relaxed fighter than Ruiz. AJ burns nervous energy, to stand back and try and anticipate if Ruiz is about to commit or feint or just stand still made him look uncomfortable.

Also AJ kept missing the right hand, then had success with the left hook but then Ruiz got smart to that and made him miss, then was able to time him and land his own left hook. There were times when AJ tried body shots and got timed by a left hook as well.

It's true we shouldn't overrate Ruiz but he showed some quality and especially seemed to be able to predict AJ's attacks, or at least see shots coming and react in time.

AJ didn't commit to anything until he knocked Andy down. Then he turned into some amateur. AJ will never be this bad again.

[LacedUp]

One loss overseas doesn't mean he doesn't travel well.

He clearly overlooked Ruiz IMO. Giving him the belts at the weigh in, being reckless going for the finish after the first KD. He saw Ruiz as no danger.

Then Ruiz concussed him in round 3 and that was the end.

Just saw the fight now. AJ looked outclassed imo. Weird thing to say, but he just wasn’t sharp at all.

Weird energy in the whole card. Supposed mismatches turned out to be wars the whole night and of course AJ was reckless and was knocked down, and knocked out.

If I was his manager there’s no way he’d travel to the U.S anytime soon.

[champion4ever]

Only time will reveal. I think he can make some marginal improvements if he can just come out and box and work behind the jab by keeping Ruiz at a proper distance.

However, the moment he starts getting into the exchanges with Andy Ruiz then he is in trouble. Ruiz' hands are a lot faster than Joshua's and he could get countered or even possibly clipped again.

I really felt that Joshua was fighting under a lot pressure this week with all the Deontay Wilder questions. Also, while pondering a future fight with him.

In addition, it made him lose focus to the point of him being distracted during the fight too.

[soul_survivor]

Of course he will get better.

I'm saying it now, he comes back and batters Ruiz.

[D4thincarnation]

Can you see he was concussed after the shot to the temple that hurt him and he wasn’t himself after the 3rd rd? That shot was a fluke that hit him because he was reckless after dropping Ruiz.

He’ll be back but he just needs to change his trainer and a lot of people on his team. Less muscles, better conditioning and a coach that can help him use his reach and jab properly.

If you are getting concussed like that from one shot, boxing ain't for you.

You know he also lost the first round as well?

[BangEM]

If you are getting concussed like that from one shot, boxing ain't for you.

You know he also lost the first round as well?

Shot to the temple is worse than a shot to the chin. Teddy Atlas said it best: it will make you feel drunk all night.

Ruiz caught him good and he didn't see it. He was off the whole night as well.

[Blackclouds]

AJ tried fighting long and what we got was a low-activity staring competition for 30 seconds at a time in several of the rounds because Ruiz stood off rather than marching forward. That's bad for AJ because he's clearly a less relaxed fighter than Ruiz. AJ burns nervous energy, to stand back and try and anticipate if Ruiz is about to commit or feint or just stand still made him look uncomfortable.

Also AJ kept missing the right hand, then had success with the left hook but then Ruiz got smart to that and made him miss, then was able to time him and land his own left hook. There were times when AJ tried body shots and got timed by a left hook as well.

It's true we shouldn't overrate Ruiz but he showed some quality and especially seemed to be able to predict AJ's attacks, or at least see shots coming and react in time.

So he was mind-****ed by Wilder's impressive KO and wanted one for himself instead of getting the win. Reminds me of Holyfield/Cooper where Holyfield looking to impress in Mike Tyson like fashion, got clipped and almost embarrassed. Only this time AJ lost to his Bert Cooper.

I have seen this before and why I was interested in this fight, to see how AJ would handle the mental aspects of being a champion, he failed. Anybody with a brain knows you can't exchange with Ruiz like that. Just dumb but AJ gets no mercy for being that dumb.

[Redd Foxx]

Now that his suspect chin and stamina have been fully put on display, I don't see him ever having the success he used to. It's the type of thing where, once guys have that confidence against you and they know what to target, it becomes twice as hard to keep them off you.

[-Kev-]

Step 1 is to beat Ruiz in the rematch.

Step 2, have a decent confidence building fight to build off on the hypothetical Ruiz win. Like Luis Ortiz, since Joshua fans don't think much of him, he shouldn't be a problem since they think so lowly of Ortiz.

Step 3, stay as far away from Wilder as possible.