Anthony Joshua claims he will have to be “smarter” against Andy Ruiz Jr when they clash in the British world champion's US debut on June 1.
Joshua flew to the States at the weekend for his final preparations ahead of the gith at New York's iconic Madison Square Garden and will begin an 18-day training camp in Florida today (Wednesday).
Ruiz is a late replacement for drug-cheat Jarrell Miller, and Joshua says he and his trainer Rob McCracken have had to adapt their gameplan because of the new opponent's different style and physique.
The Mexican-American is shorter and stockier than Miller and is a more accurate puncher.
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“Obviously with Miller, he was 300lb, his punch output was very high, so I adapted my training in terms of size and punch output in terms of what I was going to do to someone, who comes forward all the time,” said Joshua.
“Ruiz doesn’t weigh as much as Miller, but he’s a lot quicker than him and I think he uses punch variety and punch selection a lot better than Miller does. His punch output is a lot lower, but he is more accurate with his punches. I have to be better with my defence, a lot tighter and be smarter against someone like Ruiz.
“Even though he’s not as big and doesn’t work as hard, to a certain degree, he’s a lot smarter.”
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Joshua, 29, spent two months at his Sheffield training base at the English Institute of Sport preparing for Miller, but insists having to adjust to a new opponent is not a major issue.
The unbeaten WBA Super, IBF and WBO heavyweight king says it will not distract him from putting on a show at the home of boxing in the US.
“It’s fine,” he told Sky Sports News. “The good thing is when you don’t take your eye off the prize and you prepare for things like this, it isn’t an issue. When you don’t prepare for things like this, then it can become a distraction.”
