By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has offered up three reasons why Andy Ruiz Jr. will successfully defend his WBA, IBF, WBO heavyweight titles against former champion Anthony Joshua in Saudi, Arabia on December 7th. Speaking to Business Insider, Fury stated the desert heat, the fact that Ruiz has already kayoed Joshua, and Joshua’s lack of boxing ability will make the difference.
Reason 1: CLIMATE “It’s a bizarre location in Saudi Arabia and the heat might affect both fighters. If anything, Andy Ruiz might be more used to the heat because he’s Mexican and lives in California. It’s always hot there, whereas Joshua lives in London and it’s not always hot there.”
Reason 2: PSYCHOLOGY “[Joshua’s] already been knocked out, so that favors Ruiz.”
Reason 3: SKILLS “I think fighting fire with fire with someone who is quicker than you and puts better shots together is a disaster. I don’t really see the fight going any differently unless AJ comes out and boxes on his toes, which we know he can’t do.”
I love it.
Tyson Fury rules.
Still hoping Deontay beats his ass in the rematch. But still, I love Tyson Fury. He is my 2nd favorite Heavyweight. Andy Ruiz is my 3rd. Deontay is the best. AJ is a punk.
Bollox tyson fury is the best heavyweight out there or did u miss the first wilder / fury fight
Favorite =/= best.
Wasn’t a fan till I sat down and watched his entire career before the Wlad fight. We have a possible all time great on our hands regardless of what the haters say.
That knock down vs wilder should only increase his stock. True champions peel themselves off the canvas, get up to fight back harder.
Possible top 5 Heavyweight if he continues his dominance another few years.
Defies physics
I saw Wilder get robbed of a KO. Tyson was better up until…
3 reasons why Fury may be wrong this time:
1/ I have no idea what Fury is talking about: December and January are the coldest months in SA. The temperatures during those months are pleasant and not hot. So, the entire argument is futile. AJ will love the temperature there as much as Ruiz.
2/ Just because the KO loss favors Ruiz doesn’t automatically mean that AJ will not be able to rebound psychologically from this loss. History has shown both – that some fighters never came back from bad losses, while others got better. I think AJ will have learned a lot from the fight and he will come back better. He has a 100% urgency to come back stronger, whereas Ruiz won’t feel that urgency.
3/ Ruiz and AJ both have skills, but AJ wasn’t in the fight with his head last time. Just like Ruiz has the potential to beat AJ twice, AJ has the potential to knock out Ruiz.
My pick: AJ by KO.
Although I disagree with Fury on this one, he’s in my eyes the most skilled HW at the moment and he’s therefore my favorite to win against anyone, incl. Ruiz, AJ and Wilder.
4. You’re from UK. Course you’re going to say all that. Doesn’t make sense tho.
What doesn’t make sense and why?
Lewis lost to Rahman the first time, and brutally took care of biz the second time. Sometimes a guy has a bad night and can use it as motivation to get his head back in the game. I’m taking AJ by KO. The question mark is if he has a Lennox Lewis mentality of really, truly believing he’s the best. If he comes in doubting himself, he might get dropped again. However, on paper, this is as big of a mismatch as it was the first time… but fights aren’t fought on paper.
Lennox was a very special fighter. we will find out if AJ is from that same ilk.
I’m thinking how can Ruiz have beaten AJ? I don’t care what anyone says, I think something was on AJ’s mind that night, I saw him box very intelligently against Wlad. I think AJ will stay behind his jab and look for right hand on Andy this time. Andy good luck
I think aj looses again. I think sometimes certain styles don’t suit certain fighters. Did u hear aj during the rounds of the first fight saying what shot did he hit me with. He couldn’t work it out
Not 3, just one reason why Wilder will win when he fights Fury again:A mighty right hand swing to his mouth. Fury talk too much, if that happens, sure will help him
Mike, we do not always agree. However, in this case, you are correct. When Tyson Fury fights Deontay Wilder next year, Fury will get KTFO. Fury almost got knocked out in the 12th round.
I have to admit, that the knock down saved Deontay from his 1st defeat. However, now that Deontay knows he can not only hang with Tyson, but catch him too, Deontay has the advantage. Plus, against Breazeale, Deontay showed what he can do, when he is relaxed, and settles in on his punches. Deontay is the best today, and one of the top 10 of all time.
Top 10 all time….Wilder? Man Heavyweights of the past would have crushed Wilder. They were build differently then,Wilder has great power yes,but the past HW’s were more skilled and i feel they would have had Wilder for lunch. I definitely don’t put Wilder in a top 10 all time list. Not yet,the HW division is nothing compared to yesterYear,i get that. And he can only get credit for the era that he’s in currently,i also get that. But noooo,Wilder also lacks certain skills that certainly takes him out of all time top 10. But in terms of KO excitement,yes,I’d say that he’s top 10 all time for sure.
In terms of pure punching power, it may well be that Wilder is a top 10 all time.
In terms of boxing skills, he may not even make it into the top 100.
It was even mentioned about the temperature being mild at the press conference so that throws that one out.
How he is psychologically is a big unknown but he was prepared to forego home advantage to make the fight.
Also just wonder if Ruiz could have recovered if AJ’s punch landed on him where his punch landed on AJ? AJ has got up off the floor from a heavy knockdown in the latter stages of a fight but while this (the first knockdown) wasn’t as heavy it was harder to shake off the effects purely because of where it was landed.
I also think AJ was overlooking Ruiz last time out. Although he said nothing which suggests that , his gesture of handing over the belts suggested that he just saw Ruiz there to make up the numbers.
AJ will definitely be on it this time and I even wonder if Ruiz is becoming a little complacent re the rematch.
On a HW theme , does anyone know if Whyte has been reinstated as WBC mandatory?
The rankings on here have him at 1 now
Ruiz Jr in 8!
I don’t think the weather, the climate there will be a factor affecting one of the fighters., but I do believe Fury is right on the #2 because of his own experience with Wilder. Once a boxer is KO’d or on the verge of losing by KO, like happened to him, he knows that the possibility of suffering that again, is real. Maybe that is the main reason why Fury avoided the direct rematch with Wilder, and by facing some softies he will enhances his confidence.I believe also that Joshua should have had at least one tune up before rematching Ruiz to regain some confidence too. Very risky a direct rematch IMO.
Joshua should try as possible to win d guy
Tyson is a total bum fighter who only fights good fighters it it’s a favorable style match up for him. He doesn’t take on all different style opponents
the evidence is overwhelming that tyson is a great fighter.
How is racism logical with only one race? Human race is the only one. What are you seeing? Aliens? Bigfoot? Lizard people?
You can’t even figure that out let alone who a gifted boxer is.
Mark my word, Tyson Fury is in the top 10 and even possibly the top 5 when he retires.
Btw, what have you accomplished?
“might be more used to the heat because he’s Mexican and lives in California”
LOL! If Ruiz could take the “heat”….he’d be living in Mexico and not California!
Ruiz lives in Imperial CA, one of the hottest regions in the country.
I’m sure there is A/C in Imperial, CA. It’s not like Ruiz just sits around outside, enjoying the scorching heat. ha ha
You are so right M.E……..very close to Yuma AZ, which is hotter usually than Phoenix……….
Ha! Really? Ever been to SoCal? Also, ancestry plays a HUGE factor. HUGE. Just people are too afraid to mention it because of the trigger happy weak minded people that only want attention. Will say it’s “racist”. Only one race on earth. Humans. So it isn’t racist.
Deontay fights for his daughter and fights for an outlet for his RAGE. Fury fights for his sanity and for his legacy, and to stay fit. Ruiz fights to prove people wrong and for Mexico. I cannot figure out why AJ fights? He fights as an excuse to work out and lift weights, popularity??
LOL…those are some interesting thoughts.
They all fight to make history and a ton of cash.
AJ will take no risks. He will use his reach and height advantage to keep Ruiz at the end of his long jab and win by a wide margin on points. It will be nowhere near as exciting as their first match.
Lennox Lewis avenged both his knockouts in spectacular fashion and there is no reason why Joshua can’t do the same.
Joshua gets tired a lot faster than Lennox ever would. He carries a ton of muscle and won’t last 12 rounds. If he’s aggressive like last time, that chin will fail him again.
Purely Con jecture!
There WILL be a THIRD fight. It’s fixed already!!
This fat pikey better hope the Mexican beats Joshua again, because AJ is coming after him after he takes care of Ruiz.
You show your ignorance with comments like that.
Joshua wouldn’t get near fury, and if he did catch fury do you think joshua hits as hard as wilder?
The boxing aficionado has spoken….serious drivel this time. Way to stay “naturally” consistent.
Ruiz was the one hit wonder like Rachman. I don’t see it going past 6 rounds. If gets lucky again which I highly doubt he will be eliminated in a year MAX.
The climate may come into play as it did when Lewis lost to Rahman. However Lewis was never like AJ. AJ is a closer match to Wladimir Klitschko. Like Klitschko’s loss to Corrie Sanders (RIP champ), Andy Ruiz is too slick and fast inside for the bigger AJ.
AJ needs to stay outside to win this fight and given the climate in Saudi Arabia, that may be his best approach. It won’t be a huge advantage though unless AJ cuts some muscle mass for endurance and better oxygen flow to his body.
The muscle mass like WK is just a weakness at this point.
I don’t understand why so many people automatically assume that AJ’s stamina issues are all because of excessive muscle mass. Its for sure one cause, but I highly doubt that its the only cause. There are other factors to look at like nutrition, type of training, overindulgence in stamina robbing activities, mental issues, etc.
People must forget that Ruiz came into the first fight with a 32-1 record. Joseph Parker being his only blemish via decision. I don’t understand why it was such a shock that he blasted Joshua in the first place. The numbers don’t lie. Ruiz was and still is a pretty darn good boxer. Regardless of his lack of marketing, overweight body, height disadvantage to Joshua, etc…. Now sitting at 33-1, the first fight was no fluke folks.