Ruiz Jr vs Joshua 2: Anthony Joshua’s tactics analysed by top trainers

Anthony Joshua has been planning revenge over Andy Ruiz Jr, so we asked a number of top trainers to reveal how Britain’s heavyweight star can reclaim his world titles.

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Joshua will face Ruiz Jr again in Saturday’s rematch in Saudi Arabia, live on Sky Sports Box Office, just six months after suffering a shock defeat to the Mexican at New York’s Madison Square Garden in June.

After a stringent training camp, Joshua will share the ring again with Ruiz Jr, but what tactics should he employ when the first bell rings?

Peter Fury

Joshua has just got to keep to his boxing, same as what he did with Parker. He didn’t let Parker in. He’s light on his feet and I’m sure they’ve learnt by their mistakes. Listen, everybody can go wrong, and there’s no shame in losing. It’s how you come back from it, that’s what counts.

You can be a big banger, but you can also be built like a bodybuilder. It doesn’t work in the fight game. You’ve got to have it all. Speed is power and be elusive. You can’t be stiff, hoping to land that big dynamite shot, because look, as heavy as you are, when you get hit back it’s a lot harder to recover.

You have to be agile and he’s got power anyway. If he’s lighter, more agile, he’s not going to lose power, because speed is power.

Dave Coldwell

I think the most important thing is that he controls the distance. He has to be the master of distance, whether that’s in spots when he’s going forward, trying to put Ruiz Jr on his back foot, or in the early stages where Ruiz Jr is trying to pressure him, he’s very dangerous, and Joshua just has to make him fall short. Not allowing Ruiz Jr to target his body, especially with that straight right hand, which caused a lot of damage in the first fight, wearing him out.

He’s got to use his feet to control the distance in that manner but be authoritative with his jab. Feint first. What we saw at the workout is that Ruiz Jr’s defence is very good. He’s worked on his defence, on catching and countering and covering up when he’s throwing as well. AJ needs to feint, shoot the jab, feint, shoot the right hand. Don’t get involved in a hooking match with a hooker, because Ruiz can hook and you never hook with a hooker.

Jay Deas

There’s a lot of people out there now wondering what this fight has done for Joshua, but there’s other ways to look at things. It’s going to be interesting to see what Joshua will be like because he knows deep down that he’s no longer invincible and that he can be hurt at any time.

He took one big shot and didn’t recover, and he’ll have that playing in his head over and over again. He can’t approach this fight with the same recklessness and aggression he’s showed before, but is fighting cautiously the answer for someone who’s not used to fighting that way?

Hasim Rahman

You’ve got to pay for that kind of advice, but I’m going to give you the free version! We would definitely look to just outbox him and not necessarily get into a slug fest. I wouldn’t look to trade with him.

I don’t know if I would throw hooks. I would just keep it straight and keep the distance. If he wants to regain his titles, that’s the only way he’s going to get them back. I think he wins a boring decision, but if he gets up rounds and gets complacent, and lose focus, I think the fight can be over in a split second.

And finally Rob McCracken

Watch Ruiz Jr vs Joshua 2 on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from 5pm. Book it via your Sky remote or book it online here. Even if you aren’t a Sky TV subscriber you can book and watch it here.

(c) Sky Sports 2019: Ruiz Jr vs Joshua 2: Anthony Joshua’s tactics analysed by top trainers