Joshua vs Ruiz 2: Who will win boxing showdown as AJ looks for revenge? – Big Debate

Anthony Joshua takes on Andy Ruiz Jr in a highly anticipated rematch after the Mexican shocked the boxing world by knocking out AJ in June. The Brit now gets his chance at revenge and to reclaim his world heavyweight titles in the rematch which takes place in Saudi Arabia but who do Express Sport writers think will win the bout?

Matthew Dunn

For all the talk, Anthony Joshua is still the odds-on favourite to beat Andy Ruiz Jr. The bookies were wrong in June and they don’t make a habit of making mistakes.

Joshua is the man who can win this – but he is also the man who can lose it. If he has built up Ruiz in his mind even bigger than he already is, the Mexican has the weapons to punish any uncertainty.

But a Joshua boxing with the power and confidence he showed while building his career should keep well away from the blows that laid him to the ground four times in Madison Square Garden.

Early circumspection is the key, but once he gets going, in his 22 wins, only one man has ever gone the distance with Joshua.

Prediction? Joshua to win in the eighth…

Matt Lawless

Honestly, I just can’t call this one. Something for me still doesn’t seem right about AJ.
Sparring days before a big fight seems incredibly unusual too. I love him though. He is Great British sporting royalty.

And as much as I truly admire Andy Ruiz Jr, I sincerely hope Anthony Joshua brings his former belts back to these shores.

Whatever the outcome, I’m expecting a real barnstormer. And for the price Sky are charging on Box Office, I should hope so too!

Buckle up for a Christmas cracker, folks… and don’t forget, you can follow all the big fight build-up, drama and fall-out, right here at Express Sport.

Ryan Taylor

It’s so, so hard to call particularly given that there is still doubt over what exactly happened to AJ in New York.If there was nothing wrong with him and he wasn’t concussed beforehand from sparring, then it’s hard not to see the same outcome in Riyadh.

Stylistically, Ruiz is a nightmare for Joshua and is like nobody he has ever faced before. His quick hand speed is arguably unrivalled in the heavyweight division, but this time around Joshua’s whole camp has been preparing for the Mexican, unlike earlier this year when he was due to face Jarrell Miller.

I have doubts about the heart of AJ, particularly following comments in which he has already considered what it would be like to lose again. To Ruiz, he is playing no games. For instance, he would never let AJ hold his belts like the Brit did ahead of their June 1st clash.

Nonetheless, I have to go with Joshua. This is a fight for the ages and he looks extremely focussed, had a good camp and if he can learn from his mistakes then we can’t forget how devastating he can be at his destructive best. Praying for the right result because quite frankly, losing the belts to Al Haymon changes everything. Forever.