Start spreading the news… Anthony Joshua is leaving Madison Square Garden with his three heavyweight world title straps firmly around his waist. It’s an opinion that is common in the boxing world – Andy Ruiz is a late stand-in opponent, without any of the real physical attributes that could trouble AJ on his American debut.
Former cruiserweight world champion Johnny Nelson is right in the sense that Ruiz’s fast hands will be the biggest issue for Joshua to negate (check out his full interview and opinion here – BETVICTOR on YOUTUBE . This being said, for Ruiz to unload combinations with his fast hands, he’ll have to step in close and get within range of Joshua’s stiff jab and damaging right hand. All the signs point towards an early blow-out. Wilder’s decapitation of Dominic Breazeale a fortnight ago will lead to comparisons being made between the two world champions; AJ needs to make a statement Stateside, and he will.
In many ways, Jarrell Miller’s failed drugs test was the perfect crime for Team Joshua. If AJ blasts Ruiz out in under three rounds they will be exempt from criticism in their choice of opponent: Ruiz was one of only a handful of possible opponents to step into the ring on Saturday night at such short notice. 16 of Joshua’s 22 wins have come inside the first three rounds, with Saturday night, on the face of it, looking no different. Expect AJ to answer the critics of the Parker, Takam and Povetkin wins in emphatic fashion.
