ANDY RUIZ JR wants to lure Anthony Joshua out of his cautious game plan and into a slugfest where he will eventually surrender — again.
The Mexican, 30, called AJ a quitter in September and wore a New York Knicks vest to their Wednesday night press conference to remind him of his June 1 Madison Square Garden capitulation.
Andy Ruiz plans to get Anthony Joshua out of his cautious game plan before KOing him againCredit: AFP or licensors
California-based champ Ruiz expects the challenger to come in dramatically lighter and try to box on the back foot for a points win — like he did to collect the WBO belt from Joseph Parker in 2018.
So the subtle yet spiteful mind games — the opposite to the fanboy stooge persona Ruiz pulled off before Joshua’s US debut — are a tactic to ruin the Brit’s six months of planning.
The WBA, IBF and WBO champ said: “I’m pretty sure he was mad at me, when I said he quit, I think he thought, ‘You motherf*****’.
“But that is what I felt in my heart, he spat his mouthpiece out and quit.
“He was waiting too long to fight again and that is exactly what we are going to try on December 7.
Hopefully we make him quit again. I want him to be mad and swinging in the ring, I want him to have that attitude because I will be calm and know exactly what we need to do.”
Almost everything coming out of the softly spoken, always-smiling champ’s mouth sounds affectionate — until you listen back.
His assessment of Joshua’s skills, or lack of, as well as the flaws and weaknesses that contributed to his MSG meltdown are scathing.
Ruiz, 30, expects the Watford man to be too concerned with another left hook to the right temple — robbing him of his senses — and that such a fear will leave him open to a raft of alternative attacks.
He insists Joshua, 30, is not talented enough to earn a technically sound points win and not tough enough to survive a firefight.
Ruiz said: “I know he is going to try to box me around, that is why he lost some weight, he will try to keep me away with the jab — but that’s exactly what we have been practising for.
“His style was just perfect for me and I think it will be the same again.
“I think he will box around nicely for four or five rounds until I take the pressure to him, start hitting his body and mixing it up.
“I know he is going to be covering up the right side of his temple to block the left hook, so we have been practising other shots — especially going to the body.
“I did say he was not good enough to avoid me for the full 12 rounds on the back foot. We have been working on this for around three months now and I know — whatever he brings — that we will be ready for it.”
At the final press event on Wednesday night, where the assembled media were not invited to pose a single question, Joshua made a military style exit flanked by booming security staff.
But Ruiz spent an extra 15 minutes in front of the cameras answering questions about his family and new-found fame.
While victory for AJ is essential for the growth and continued success of British boxing, a Ruiz repeat would be another celebration of underdog success that fans of most sports fans appreciate.
Ruiz, who has five children, said: “Being rich and famous has been going really well, it can get a little overwhelming at times — but this is what I dreamed of and worked towards.
“This is what I have been training so hard for since I was six years old. It’s great for me and my family and my kids, our whole lives changed on June 1.
“My maddest purchase is probably all of the cars that I bought. I bought four cars, two types of Mercedes G-Wagons, the brand new Rolls Royce, a Lamborghini SUV and I also bought my mum and dad a truck, we have just been having fun.
“My favourite car? That’s a tough question. I don’t know. It might be the Lamborghini SUV, it’s fast and spacious.
Anthony Joshua asks Andy Ruiz Jr ‘how do I beat you-‘ in face-to-face as humble pair embrace ahead of rematch
“I can put all my kids in there. Well, not all my kids as I have a lot of kids, but I can put some in there!
“My spending hasn’t taken my competitive edge off, that was just my first big fight.
“There is so much I have to accomplish and prove, this is just the beginning.”
Ruiz expects AJ to come in dramatically lighter and try to box on the back foot for a points winCredit: AFP or licensors
Ruiz defends his unified titles against Joshua in Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
