Anthony Joshua only defeated Andy Ruiz Jr. because the latter didn’t train and was in no shape to compete in Saudi Arabia.
That’s the view on the former heavyweight champion who surrendered his titles to the man he’d previously dispatched in New York.
Coming into the fight well overweight despite deceptive photographs depicting possible weight loss, Ruiz was a shell of the fighter who took AJ out via stoppage just six months earlier.
But reflecting on Joshua and his current plight as a former ruler following another loss, Ruiz says his initial win might have had a knock-on effect.
“I wouldn’t want to destroy anybody’s career at all. But I can see [Joshua] being gun shy and hesitating a little bit. I can see him getting hurt,” Ruiz told Brian Custer on The Last Stand Podcast.
“Maybe he’s a little scared of getting hurt because he doesn’t want the same thing happening. It’s normal for fighters. I think he needs to get his confidence back.”
Asked if he ruined Joshua’s career, Ruiz answered: “No, I wouldn’t say I ruined him.
“I wouldn’t want to ruin anybody’s career. He is hesitating. He’s thinking too much instead of going in there and being the dog.”
