Andy Ruiz 'has absolutely no punch,' reveals Mexican's former boxing promoter
Andy Ruiz celebrates his upset victory over Anthony Joshua.
Andy Ruiz's former promoter was stunned by the nature of the Mexican heavyweight's win over Anthony Joshua because he doesn't rate his punch.
"It's not something I would have predicted," veteran promoter Bob Arum, who represented Ruiz for several fights earlier in his career, told the Telegraph in the wake of Ruiz's stunning seventh round TKO at Madison Square Garden. "Andy is a pretty good fighter. He has fast hands and quick feet. But he has absolutely no punch.
"He was in with a lot of guys who couldn't spell fight, and he beat them, but he couldn't knock them out. The fact he knocked out a fighter like Joshua, who I had seen on television and in person against Joseph Parker, it shocked me.
"Andy Ruiz is a lovely guy, but he's no Wladimir Klitschko. If Joshua was able to survive Klitschko, who can punch, and knock him out, how the hell does Ruiz beat him? Unless it wasn't Joshua in the ring. Now that's something that can happen. Maybe he didn't train hard enough. Maybe he suffered an injury. When something like this happens, there may never be that Joshua again."
Arum also urged Joshua not to rush into a rematch with Ruiz despite the temptation to reclaim his three belts, and feared the English fighter may never be the same again after the surprise defeat.
Andy Ruiz dropped Anthony Joshua four times during the fight.
"He'll never be the same," Arum said. "He could beat Ruiz, but he'll never be the same. So much of boxing is mental. Opponents will never give him the respect he would have got before.
"Nobody could beat Mike Tyson until Buster Douglas. Then guys like Evander Holyfield realised that they would have a good chance with Mike because they weren't intimidated.
"When Tyson became a professional, I booked Tyson every other week and they were all one-round knockouts. Because I'd look across the ring at the opponent and the guy's legs would be shaking. Tyson had built up that reputation. Once he's beaten, that reputation is diminished and the fighters have a lot more confidence."
Andy Ruiz celebrates his upset victory over Anthony Joshua.
Andy Ruiz's former promoter was stunned by the nature of the Mexican heavyweight's win over Anthony Joshua because he doesn't rate his punch.
"It's not something I would have predicted," veteran promoter Bob Arum, who represented Ruiz for several fights earlier in his career, told the Telegraph in the wake of Ruiz's stunning seventh round TKO at Madison Square Garden. "Andy is a pretty good fighter. He has fast hands and quick feet. But he has absolutely no punch.
"He was in with a lot of guys who couldn't spell fight, and he beat them, but he couldn't knock them out. The fact he knocked out a fighter like Joshua, who I had seen on television and in person against Joseph Parker, it shocked me.
"Andy Ruiz is a lovely guy, but he's no Wladimir Klitschko. If Joshua was able to survive Klitschko, who can punch, and knock him out, how the hell does Ruiz beat him? Unless it wasn't Joshua in the ring. Now that's something that can happen. Maybe he didn't train hard enough. Maybe he suffered an injury. When something like this happens, there may never be that Joshua again."
Arum also urged Joshua not to rush into a rematch with Ruiz despite the temptation to reclaim his three belts, and feared the English fighter may never be the same again after the surprise defeat.
Andy Ruiz dropped Anthony Joshua four times during the fight.
"He'll never be the same," Arum said. "He could beat Ruiz, but he'll never be the same. So much of boxing is mental. Opponents will never give him the respect he would have got before.
"Nobody could beat Mike Tyson until Buster Douglas. Then guys like Evander Holyfield realised that they would have a good chance with Mike because they weren't intimidated.
"When Tyson became a professional, I booked Tyson every other week and they were all one-round knockouts. Because I'd look across the ring at the opponent and the guy's legs would be shaking. Tyson had built up that reputation. Once he's beaten, that reputation is diminished and the fighters have a lot more confidence."