Lennox Lewis has reacted to former world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. admitting he didn’t prepare properly for his rematch with Anthony Joshua.
Ruiz Jr. further opened up on his partying and weight gain in a recent airport interview with TMZ. The Mexican-Amerian stated he ‘ate everything’ and ‘it could have happened to anyone’.
Lewis, an ex-undisputed king and consummate professional in and outside of the ropes, was quick to shoot down Ruiz Jr’s claims.
“(I) Just saw Andy Ruiz Jr. saying not being fully prepared and in shape for rematch could have happened to anyone. Not true. That’s a bad excuse,” said Lewis.
“One person was serious about those belts and the other wasn’t. Simple as that!”
In the immediate aftermath, ‘The Pugilist Specialist’ had interacted with fans praising Joshua’s performance. This was despite constant reminders that the two Brits havent’ always seen eye-to-eye.
“Every fight isn’t going to be a KO,” Lewis pointed out. “I thought AJ fought a good tactical fight and didn’t fall into trap of trying to mix it up in exchanges.
“This was a good addition to his experience. He also wisely unpacked his jab for this one.
“I understand that ppl want blood. But, as a fighter, you have to be disciplined enough to wait for the opportunities to open up. Sometimes they don’t come.
“When that happens you play it safe and stick to the game plan.”
DISAGREE
Asked by one follower regarding the past exchanges with Joshua, Lewis concluded: “I’ve ALWAYS spoken the truth. When I’ve praised AJ… it was the truth. When I’ve criticized him, it was also the truth.
“(It) Seems that when we agree, it’s truth. When we don’t, I’m a bitter hater. You will never find peace this way. Grown men can agree to disagree.”
A third fight was seemingly on the table during the post-fight interviews from both Ruiz Jr. and Joshua. The fans reaction to this has so far been lukewarm.
Mandatories are set to keep Joshua busy for the foreseeable future, whilst Ruiz is set to take even more time off to enjoy his new-found millions.
Phil Jay is the Editor of World Boxing News.
