Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr 2 - Brit to return to New York’s Madison Square Garden

[smashup]

Bold move from AJ and it's the best way to make a statement if he can get his belts back where he lost them.

Fair play to him


https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-a8967126.html

[TitoFan]

Agreed. Part II should be a hell of a fight.

[Master]

That is a strange decision to have the fight on US soil, I would have thought AJ wanted every advantage he could get.

I think he would have had to pay Ruiz too much money to have the fight here.

[Spicoli]

That's a good step in righting the ship for Joshua. The window for date close to a major Holiday in New York and should be massive.

[Primo Carnera]

It hasn’t been confirmed as MSG. In the interview I saw, Eddie just said it was up to AJ and he was THINKING about MSG, but it was one of about 5 venues.

[sanatogen]

AJ spending all day THINKING about MSG

[Ron Swanson]

AJ spending all day THINKING about MSG

But is he with his mates, everyone in hoochie shorts?

[Mark TKO]

Fair play to him for taking it.

Shit or bust for him career wise (though won't be bust financially)

If I had to put money on now it would go on Ruiz.

[El Kabong]

Agreed. Part II should be a hell of a fight.

Either that or exactly what YOU don't want to see (which would extend AJ's career a lot longer)


This fight should be called 'Catch 22' precisely because of that...it's either going to be another brawl that AJ loses and the fans will love the action or a cagey veteran display from the bigger guy where the crowd goes home disappointed but AJ redeems himself with a win.

[sanatogen]

Would a template for this fight be Lewis vs Tua. Something that AJ can find useful to add to a plan.

[p4pking]

Yeah both you guys have good points. Does it serve AJ to make it boring though? The best outcome for him is obviously to engage again and win by stoppage, but making it that kind of fight probably favours Ruiz every time. Feel like he is in a hard place if the plan is still to increase his audience, almost a lose lose.

[El Kabong]

Yeah both you guys have good points. Does it serve AJ to make it boring though? The best outcome for him is obviously to engage again and win by stoppage, but making it that kind of fight probably favours Ruiz every time. Feel like he is in a hard place if the plan is still to increase his audience, almost a lose lose.

Well sure the BEST outcome is for AJ to flatten Ruiz with the very first punch...but that is unlikely to happen. My post was based on likeliness and I think it's highly probably AJ's confidence ain't gonna be the highest right now ergo it would behoove him to make it an ugly fight and attempt to wear down Ruiz late instead of starch him out early. best plan of action is BOX and let the KO come to you if you're AJ and for Ruiz the best thing he can do is to immediately remind AJ that he's got power and he can land at will.

The 2 likeliest of scenarios are as I stated, a messy brawl with an early KO (advantage Ruiz) or cagey chess match (advantage AJ)

[Spicoli]

Would a template for this fight be Lewis vs Tua. Something that AJ can find useful to add to a plan.

Might sound nuts but I don't think Joshua has the footwork or composure of Lewis at least at the time he fought Tua. Some fans dog Lewis for that performance but I thought it was a masterpiece all things considered. Ruiz also knows work rate and combos where Tua could be on and off.

[El Kabong]

Would a template for this fight be Lewis vs Tua. Something that AJ can find useful to add to a plan.

Might sound nuts but I don't think Joshua has the footwork or composure of Lewis at least at the time he fought Tua. Some fans dog Lewis for that performance but I thought it was a masterpiece all things considered. Ruiz also knows work rate and combos where Tua could be on and off.

Yeah I think the footwork is really where the AJ-Bruno comparisons come into play. AJ's upper body movement was appalling too.

[TitoFan]

Agreed. Part II should be a hell of a fight.

Either that or exactly what YOU don't want to see (which would extend AJ's career a lot longer)


This fight should be called 'Catch 22' precisely because of that...it's either going to be another brawl that AJ loses and the fans will love the action or a cagey veteran display from the bigger guy where the crowd goes home disappointed but AJ redeems himself with a win.

Good point @El Kabong

But...... I don't think it's quite "either/or". It was "either/or" with Wlad MANY times which is why I disliked his fights so much (Sultan, Povetkin, Haye, Fury.... should I continue?). I think there's a good middle ground where you fight smart and use your defensive boxing skills, but STILL provide enough offense (sans the excessive grappling and fouling) to make it interesting and entertaining.

I would not be disappointed....... I repeat..... not disappointed..... with a fight where Joshua changes his tactics, defends himself against Ruiz's buzzsaw style, and at the same time uses effective aggression to pull out a win. It doesn't even have to be a knockout, but given the nature of these two guys, a knockout is the most likely outcome either way.

I resist the notion that it has to be either an all-out brawl defense-be-damned....... or a boring chess match where you can go get a beer between actual punches.