Speed kills is one of the oldest sayings in boxing.
It is perhaps rather true upon reviewing fights of the past.
Boxers often recount how it is the punches they don’t see that hurt them.
Punches straight over the shoulder that cause that thud. Maybe set up by a feint. A jab.
Or as part of a coordinated combination.
A shot that can cause a short-circuited stunned sensation. One that can drop someone in a flash knockdown instance.
An electrical shuddering buzz of the wires that requires response instantly. Be it offensively or defensively.
Former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz knows about this in terms of shocking Anthony Joshua in their first fight not long ago against the run of play mid fight.
A left hook out of nowhere that leveled the playing field. Hurting Joshua.
Part of their first tussle indicative of how heavyweight boxing can so often change in an instant, mid fight.
Highlighting the sheer fragility of heavyweight boxing.
Ruiz has been on a transformative roll in recent weeks and months.
The Andy Ruiz weight loss in 2021 is substantial so far.
Particularly for a man who has been up and down in weight in his whole career.
Recently admitting that a bout of depression following his rematch loss to Anthony Joshua sent him up as high as 320 lbs.
But what will Ruiz weigh-in on May 1st for his fight with Arreola?
Another Mexican-American who loves to throw leather with a come forward style, who although is at the tale end of his career, only knows how to fight one way. A match that will create fireworks as long as it lasts.
Ruiz appears to have redistributed his weight into strengthening his lower body and converted much fat to muscle so it’s hard to say what he will come in at.
The main thing will be getting the mind and spirit there. Fine tuning the body is one thing but he’ll need to be in the appropriate psychological headspace moving forward.
Prepared for anything coming back at him in his new fight armor.
From a physiological sports science point of view, it will be an interesting test for him and his team to see how the new Ruiz, now more consistent than ever, turns this transformation into more lethal speed and power.
The potential results on fight night will intrigue many boxing fans.
If all goes to plan, this new Ruiz in conjunction with being trained by one of the best boxing coaches in the world, who is now making new choices in sync congruously, will be a serious and exciting new force in the heavyweight division.
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