A look at their successful partnership (Joshua win) versus the breakup and the Desmond Lincoln experiment.
Does going back to Robles signal genuine change, or is Ruiz just chasing past glory?
Saturday night shall be the proof.
It could be a positive thing for him in the short term, sure, maybe, maybe not though.
Some notes on this ahead of Saturday night;
- Reunited with the trainer who guided him to the biggest upset in modern heavyweight history
- Split after Ruiz entered the Anthony Joshua rematch 15.5lbs heavier and was soundly beaten
- Robles admitted Ruiz “was just doing whatever the hell he wanted to do” during that second camp
- Ruiz left Robles for Reynoso’s gym, then trained himself and took “the easy route”
- The reunion came after Ruiz called Robles and asked: “Could we make history again?”
- Robles has set clear terms: “No excuses – he doesn’t want to waste his time and neither do I”
- Ruiz admits the partnership failed because “I used to celebrate too much” after the Joshua win
- The team that made him champion is back, but Ruiz must prove he can listen this time
- Robles says Ruiz is motivated and training harder than he has since the first Joshua fight
- This is Ruiz’s “now or never” moment – a loss ends any talk of a second title reign
Andy Ruiz had some training alongside other trainers, as mentioned, but he is back training alongside Robles for the moment.
Important to note also that just because Ruiz appears to be light on pounds coming into the fight does not mean he is in a good place mentally, either, at the same time.
He could be struggling and trying to put a false smile and front on coming into Saturday night.
He has been out of the ring for a bit at the moment, lots of ring rust too.
Even if a shred of the ability is there and the hand speed he should be victorious but a big size difference cannot be ignored either.
All it takes is just one punch in the heavys, at the end of the day.
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