Tyson Fury has listed three key reasons why he believes Andy Ruiz Jr will retain his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight championships when he rematches Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia on December 7.
Ruiz Jr shocked the world when he dropped Joshua four times before stopping him in the seventh round at New York?s Madison Square Garden in June.
Fury, who held the same three world titles as Ruiz Jr after defeating Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, told Business Insider that the Mexican-American had three distinct advantages over the Brit, starting with the climate.
?It?s a bizarre location in Saudi Arabia and the heat might affect both fighters. If anything, Andy Ruiz might be more used to the heat because he?s Mexican and lives in California. It?s always hot there, whereas Joshua lives in London and it?s not always hot there,? Fury said.
The second reason Fury cited was psychology.
?[Joshua?s] already been knocked out, so that favours Ruiz,? Fury continued.
Fury also believes that Ruiz Jr has a skills advantage over Joshua and that stylistically it?s a bad matchup for his countryman.
?I think fighting fire with fire with someone who is quicker than you and puts better shots together is a disaster. I don?t really see the fight going any differently unless AJ comes out and boxes on his toes, which we know he can?t do,? he said.
Fury is due back in the ring next month when he takes on little-known Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 14.
It will be Fury?s second straight fight in the gambling capital after knocking out overmatched German Tom Schwarz in two rounds in June.
Last December Fury had to settle for a draw against WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in Los Angeles. Fury controlled much of the bout but had to pick himself up off the canvas in the ninth and 12th rounds to finish the fight on his feet.
