"He needs a Mexican on his side" - Andy Ruiz on Anthony Joshua hiring Robert Garcia for Oleksandr Usyk rematch
Andy Ruiz believes Robert Garcia can add immense value to Anthony Joshua's training camp ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk on August 20 in Jeddah. Ruiz also discussed how Garcia can develop Joshua's aggression in the ring.
'AJ' and Usyk originally fought last September at the Tottenham Stadium in London. Joshua was dominated by the Ukrainian over twelve rounds and lost a unanimous points decision. Usyk was never seriously hurt in the fight and came close to stopping Joshua in the final round.
Following his loss, 'AJ' was heavily criticized for using the wrong tactics against his smaller opponent. Many were surprised that Joshua tried to outbox the former Undisputed Cruiserweight Champion instead of employing his distinct physical advantages.
Watch the full fight replay of Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksandr Usyk here:
Here's what Ruiz said in an interview with Fight Hype:
"I think it's good, he needs a Mexican on his side, especially Robert [Garcia]. With all his fighters, he makes them be aggressive and counter punch and that's exactly what Joshua needs to do, be aggressive. He's the bigger man, the stronger man."
Watch the full interview here:
Andy Ruiz wants Oleksandr Usyk to beat Anthony Joshua
Ruiz continued by openly stating that he would like Usyk to emerge victorious against Anthony Joshua for religious reasons. The 'Destroyer' is hoping for a showdown with Usyk in the future as well:
"He's a Christian, he believes in Jesus Christ... I lowkey want him to win, you know? That's why I'm fighting the lefty [Luis Ortiz] so I can get prepared in case I have to fight Usyk."
Ruiz is scheduled to fight Luis Ortiz on September 4 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Mexican will make his return after more than a year of inactivity.
The 'Destroyer's last fbout was against Chris Arreola in May 2021 in Carson. Ruiz showcased his impressive weight loss and new-found mobility to capture a 12-round unanimous decision victory.
Watch the fight highlights of Ruiz vs. Arreola here:
It remains to be seen if Ruiz can beat Ortiz and face the winner of Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk. It's possible, however, that WBC Champion Tyson Fury could come out of retirement to challenge the winner first.
Furthermore, other British fighters like Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois are ranked higher in the sanctioning bodies. Joyce is No.1 in the WBO rankings while Dubois is the WBA (Regular) Champion.