Andy Ruiz Jr has revealed whether he thinks Jake Paul has any hope in his eight-round professional heavyweight contest with Anthony Joshua.
The pair will headline a Netflix event at the Kaseya Center, Miami, with many expecting ‘AJ’ to blast through the YouTuber-turned-boxer in devastating fashion.
Ruiz, however, believes that Paul could potentially pull off a monumental upset against the 36-year-old, much like he did while colliding with Joshua in 2019.
Back then, Ruiz entered their heavyweight showdown as a terrific underdog, only to shockingly floor his man multiple times before coming away with a seventh-round stoppage victory.
While claiming the Brit’s three world titles, too, Ruiz would then produce a sluggish performance to eventually lose their immediate rematch via a unanimous decision.
Prior to that, though, the American had executed the perfect gameplan to not only dethrone Joshua, but also expose several chinks in his rival’s armour.
Given the way their first fight unfolded, Ruiz is therefore well-placed to offer Paul, a complete stranger to this level, a few nuggets of wisdom.
The most obvious disadvantage that Paul must contend with is size, with his opponent’s towering and muscle-bound frame, even at 245lbs, remaining a tremendous sight to behold.
In addition to that, Joshua also boasts the far superior skills and experience, while speed is perhaps the only department where Paul could claim a slight advantage.
And yet, in an interview with TMZ Sports, Ruiz suggested that the 28-year-old’s faith, and indeed a haymaker right hand, could ultimately see him emerge with a truly stunning victory.
“I think [it’s about] having faith. Don’t be scared – do what you gotta do. Ask God for that victory and he will come through. Just be fearless.
“Just get him with the right hand. That’s what Jake Paul’s looking for – the right hand. If he lands, he could probably do [some] good damage.
“A lot of people underestimate Jake Paul but, in reality, he’s a good fighter, and he’s dedicated – and that’s what I like about him.
“I’m gonna hit him up and try to give him some little pointers.”
All will be revealed when Joshua and Paul collide on December 19.