BOXING OPINION: If Andy Ruiz Jr. VS Anthony Joshua 3 happened, I believe Ruiz would win

Andy Ruiz caused a shock against Anthony Joshua in the 1st fight with a 7th round TKO to win the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO Heavyweight world title belts. Joshua then spent the next 6 months training hard, getting his motivation back and very skillfully out-boxed Ruiz in the rematch to win his belts back by a unanimous decision (118-110, 119-109, 118-110). In the 1st fight I don't believe that Joshua was on form at all and it certainly wasn't the Joshua we are used to seeing. In the second fight I think that the opposite was true with Ruiz being off form (through his own fault as he openly admitted that he didn't train properly for the fight) and Joshua producing an amazing performance. This is why I believe that there should be a rematch as even though we've seen them fight twice, we haven't seen them fight when they are both in good shape. Unfortunately, I don't think this fight will happen but if it did I believe that Ruiz would win because: 

A) He'd have less to lose (he'd be the challenger again) 

B) I believe that he's a braver fighter than Joshua 

C) I'd say that he punches harder than Joshua (though I can't confirm this as I've never been punched in the gut by either of them and don't plan to either) 

A) He would be the heavy underdog for the fight (though not as much as in the first fight) so there would be less pressure on him and as we saw in the later stages of the 2nd fight, he can't handle pressure as well as Joshua can so being the underdog would suit him better. 

B) He's most effective as a counter puncher and to do this he often takes some heavy punches before unleashing his own skillful and devastating combinations. If he could draw Joshua into a close range fight he would have Joshua on the canvas repeatedly. 

C) He's heavier than Joshua and although that may have worked against him in the 2nd fight (lack of training and indulging in a luxurious lifestyle resulted in him carrying too much weight for the 2nd fight), I believe that his heavier frame was crucial to his win in the 1st fight as Joshua's body shots had virtually no effect on him and also because Ruiz was able to use his weight to get some more momentum behind his punches. I feel that this gives him a very unique advantage over Joshua. 

In short, I don't think that we will see Ruiz VS Joshua 3 due to boxing politics but if they did fight, I think that Ruiz would become a 2 time heavyweight world champion just like Joshua. 

What do you think? Do you agree with me or do you think Joshua would out-box him again?

* Edited at 06.21.2020, 8:34 PM ET *

I agree with fishrat, it would essentially be a replay of the second fight.

Never gonna happen

I agree with ImperatorFishrat about Joshua being worse than the Klitschkos. He may have beaten an older Wladimir but he would never have beaten him in his prime.

* Edited at 06.22.2020, 10:28 AM ET *

Yeah sadly I agree Joshua is the "better" boxer he has defense and had a better record id have to look now.
After being stung by ruiz he wont let it happen again, he just under estimated him.
Anyone can get caught proves less than nothing ruiz is mid level at best let him fight povetkin if he lives then rematch.
Haha or let him fight Dillian White that would be a fun on for dil! 

@Joshjeffords I seem to be the only one of my friends who would like to Ruiz fight Daniel Dubois. I'd say that they are evenly matched with Dubois being a slightly better boxer in my opinion but Ruiz has more experience. Of course, Dubois has to overcome Joe Joyce and maybe a few other decent heavyweights before it happens but it's a fight that I'd love to see in the next 3 years or so.

Then again, I'm a fan of both Ruiz and Dubois so maybe it's my bias overrating the pair of them. I like to believe that Dubois will be the next big thing in heavyweight boxing though.

Andy Ruiz also lost a WBO Heavyweight Championship fight to Joseph Parker, the man that Anthony Joshua would defeat for that same title.

@tepid55 True but I think that Ruiz was unlucky in that fight. With another set of judges I feel that Ruiz could have won but that's they way boxing goes.

@Stephen Terry

Everyone saw that Andy Ruiz really isn't a world class boxer when he got taken to school by Anthony Joshua in their rematch.

@tepid55 Yeah, I'm not gonna deny that Joshua was in a different league compared to Ruiz in the rematch but I feel that was largely because: 


A) If Joshua had lost the rematch then his career would have been ruined so he was a lot hungrier for the win compared to the 1st fight 

And 

B) Ruiz was in horrible shape (though he only has himself to blame for that) 

My theory is that if both of them fought when they were both in good shape then Ruiz could potentially land some hard punches and stun Joshua again. In the first fight, the more shots Ruiz landed (particularly the shot to Joshua's temple), the more reckless Joshua became. Ruiz would have to do most of the work in the fight and keep moving forward towards Joshua to keep the fight at close range in order to land those shots but I reckon he could do it. He'd certainly be able to take some of Joshua's jabs so this would be the best strategy for him. The only problem is that Ruiz is a little bit over-reliant on his power and if it went the distance again then Joshua would get it on points again so Ruiz would have to stop Joshua in order to win but I feel that it's possible.

* Edited at 06.24.2020, 1:40 PM ET *

I don't know Dubois, Joyce is good they were hyping him like mad while back both seem to be regional.
Either of them would have to step up to beat a veteran like ruiz but no doubt one of them could.
Id definitely like to see them go at it then get some more experienced competition somebody gotta lose that 0.
What a refreshing thread I do love me some sweet science, with the state of the unbeatable super champs.
All of them have been beat or had a draw it is time for new young blood to step up and take the belts!

 

@Joshjeffords I completely agree! There's nothing more exciting than seeing exciting young boxers stepping up against the established champions! It separates the good from the great. It's where the hype jobs sink and the real deal's swim!

@ImperatorFishrat I'm only 21 so I don't remember the 90's personally but I don't think we'll ever get that level of quality in the HW division again. Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Michael Moorer, Rid**** Bowe, Larry Holmes, David Tua, Ike Ibeabuchi, the return of George Foreman, it was an absolutely insane era! I just wish I were around for it.

* Edited at 06.25.2020, 4:04 AM ET *

You said fish really any previous generation Johnson, Marciano, Clay"ALI", young Foreman, Holmes, Holyfield.
And even the smaller boxers too Leonard, Haggler, Hearns, Duran, Roy ******* Jones JR!!
WWWWWAAAAAAARRRRR!!! I should get a hat like that for the gym!  

Yeah Robinson was amazing, I'm a geek but I'd like to see a CG fight between him and alvarez or GGG.
 

@ImperatorFishrat & Joshjeffords I agree with you on Sugar Ray Robinson. In my mind he was the P4P greatest ever. I sure Robinson would've comfortably beaten Alverez and Golovkin with either the old school or new school gloves. 

Also, I can't remember what fight it was off the top of my head (I think the fighter was french) but there was a fight where he beat the other guy up so bad that one of the reporters stated "I think the other guy should get the long end of the purse, he'll need it for repairs!" I think that sums up the power and skill of Sugar Ray very well!

There are some good Heavyweight prospects coming up today. You already mentioned Dubois, the other Europeans are Filip Hrgovic, Tony Yoka and from Russia you have Evgeny Romanov, Arslanbek Makhmudov, Ukrainian Ivan Dycho and Uzbek Bakhodir Jalolov. From the US there's Cassius Chaney, Jared Anderson and Italian Guido Vianelli.
Just thought I'd counter Fish's claim that Heavyweight boxing is **** nowadays!!! When in fact there are plenty of talented up n comers, I could list more too.

Also, to answer your original post. Joshua beats Ruiz as easy if there's ever a trilogy which I highly doubt. For as good as Ruiz could be he obviously severely lacks in the dedication, motivation department. Its been an open secret for years that he had talent but lacked dedication. There is a reason he has bounced around gyms, trainers and promoters. He is frustrating!!!  Ruiz has joined the Reynoso camp, maybe Canelos legendary work ethic rubs off on him? More likely the camp gets pissed at Ruiz and he leaves that camp pretty soon too!