Don’t expect Anthony Joshua to brawl when he faces Andy Ruiz in their highly anticipated rematch Saturday in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on DAZN.
According to Joshua’s trainer, Rob McCracken, the game plan is for the musclebound Joshua to box the rotund, yet quick-fisted Ruiz on the outside. No senseless trading on the inside.
“Ruiz is an underrated world-class fighter, but if you’ve got the height and reach, like Josh, you must use it,” McCracken told The Guardian in a recent interview.
The approach makes sense, given Joshua’s troubles in the first fight. Joshua had dropped Ruiz midway through the third round and was looking to close the fight when Ruiz whacked him on the right temple with a hook on the inside. It led to the first of four knockdowns before Ruiz earned a stoppage in the seventh round.
McCracken has been criticized in some corners for negatively impacting Joshua’s style, converting the natural puncher into a safety-first boxer in the mold of Wladimir Klitschko. But McCracken, who has been with Joshua throughout his amateur and professional careers, believes the occasion rightfully calls for a bit of caution.
“There can be no fooling around,” McCracken said. “The minute you don’t, you’re open to quick, powerful hooks off these heavyweights. And Ruiz is one of the best.”
McCracken also pointed out that Joshua had some trouble with smaller, quicker heavyweights in the amateur ranks, and Ruiz fits that profile.
“(Joshua has) beaten numerous small, mobile heavyweights, and he’s lost to a couple of them,” McCracken said. “Sometimes fighters are just good. Ruiz has good technical ability. He can measure the distance. Knows how to defend. Got a half-decent jab, good timing and speed.”
McCracken said he respected Ruiz’s ability even before he pulled off the upset. In fact, the trainer admitted that Ruiz was not high on his list of possible opponents to replace Jarrell Miller, who was scheduled to fight Joshua in the summer but tested positive for PEDs.
“I wasn’t keen on Ruiz,” McCracken said. “I much preferred a couple of other opponents.”
Still, McCracken believes his man has the right tools to beat a path to victory – provided he follows the strategy to a tee.
“(Joshua) knows that if he does everything right,” McCracken said, “he’ll win, but there’s no room for error.”