11-29-2016, 10:45 AM
Kevin Barry believes Andy Ruiz's weight loss won't affect his performance against Joseph Parker
Andy Ruiz is getting into the shape of his life for his world title fight with Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker's trainer Kevin Barry has brushed off talk Andy Ruiz is risking his power game with his weight loss programme for the WBO title fight.
The notoriously chubby Ruiz is on a body transformation programme under the guidance of world class trainer Abel Sanchez in Big, Bear California.
He is dropping weight quickly and could shed more than 14kg to enter the ring at Vector Arena in Auckland on December 10 at around 111kg.
The 27-year-old Ruiz has fought effectively at up to 140kg in fashioning an unbeaten career.
Roy Jones Jnr, a world champion in four different weight classes, believes Ruiz is hindering his chances against Parker, claiming the weight loss will affect his game, particularly his ability to take a punch.
Barry, who has talked up Mexican Ruiz over the past couple of days, certainly wasn't rushing to agree with Jones. In fact, he believed this conditioning scenario was nothing new for Ruiz.
"When we say rapid weight loss, I don't know about how rapid it is," Barry argued.
"Andy Ruiz turned professional at 310 pounds (140kg). You are talking about a guy who has ben a pro for eight years. He has spent the eight years in a 29-0 career taking weight off.
"This is not the first time he has taken weight off. No-one has been able to hit him, knock him down, make him go backwards in each of those fights where he has taken the weight off. So I think that's your answer."
Ruiz has gained a reputation has having remarkable hand speed and body movement for a fighter of his size, though he has vowed to be in the best condition of his career for his shot at a world title against Parker. He says he has been invigorated by Sanchez's methods and inspired by the fit fighters training with him at the altitude camp.
Barry said he and Parker had "huge respect" for Ruiz and predicted a "very, very difficult fight".
"Neither of these guys know what it's like to lose. You've got two guys with very fast hands ... two young guys, 24 and 27, who both like to come forward. When you have two guys coming forward there's an explosion in the middle."
- Stuff
Andy Ruiz is getting into the shape of his life for his world title fight with Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker's trainer Kevin Barry has brushed off talk Andy Ruiz is risking his power game with his weight loss programme for the WBO title fight.
The notoriously chubby Ruiz is on a body transformation programme under the guidance of world class trainer Abel Sanchez in Big, Bear California.
He is dropping weight quickly and could shed more than 14kg to enter the ring at Vector Arena in Auckland on December 10 at around 111kg.
The 27-year-old Ruiz has fought effectively at up to 140kg in fashioning an unbeaten career.
Roy Jones Jnr, a world champion in four different weight classes, believes Ruiz is hindering his chances against Parker, claiming the weight loss will affect his game, particularly his ability to take a punch.
Barry, who has talked up Mexican Ruiz over the past couple of days, certainly wasn't rushing to agree with Jones. In fact, he believed this conditioning scenario was nothing new for Ruiz.
"When we say rapid weight loss, I don't know about how rapid it is," Barry argued.
"Andy Ruiz turned professional at 310 pounds (140kg). You are talking about a guy who has ben a pro for eight years. He has spent the eight years in a 29-0 career taking weight off.
"This is not the first time he has taken weight off. No-one has been able to hit him, knock him down, make him go backwards in each of those fights where he has taken the weight off. So I think that's your answer."
Ruiz has gained a reputation has having remarkable hand speed and body movement for a fighter of his size, though he has vowed to be in the best condition of his career for his shot at a world title against Parker. He says he has been invigorated by Sanchez's methods and inspired by the fit fighters training with him at the altitude camp.
Barry said he and Parker had "huge respect" for Ruiz and predicted a "very, very difficult fight".
"Neither of these guys know what it's like to lose. You've got two guys with very fast hands ... two young guys, 24 and 27, who both like to come forward. When you have two guys coming forward there's an explosion in the middle."
- Stuff