Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr are facing each other this Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Joshua’s original opponent was supposed to be Jarrell Miller but Miller was removed due to testing positive for a banned substance and in came Ruiz Jr. Given the circumstances that have Ruiz facing Joshua on Saturday, he is being considered the underdog. However, if you ask Joshua he would seem to disagree.
At least that is what he said during the main event press conference leading up to the weekend. “Fighting Andy [Ruiz Jr.] for me is just as dangerous as Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury,” according to Joshua. When making the analogy he likened Ruiz Jr.’s position in this fight to his own career. “Andy knows what it’s like to be a fighter and take this opportunity in front of you, what can come after,” Joshua said of his opponent.
As for Ruiz Jr, he seems grateful for the chance to build his own story and comparisons to the original Rocky (1976) film’s plot have already been mentioned.
Joshua told those in attendance, “I’m going to take Andy deadly serious; I don’t overlook him at all. I respect him and I respect his opportunity.” It would seem to Joshua it is not about taking matches that might be easier than others. It is more about the discipline it takes to compete at the championship level in boxing. The discipline that comes with training and preparation for bouts, regardless who he is facing he has to complete the cycle for his own sake.
That is why Joshua included a Navy Seal for his training camp. Adding different training methods to each camp helps him get better overall. He said he is, “building myself as a person, not just as a fighter.”
Do you agree with Joshua about his opponent?
