Boxing

Andy Ruiz Tells Jake Paul How To Beat Anthony Joshua

Andy Ruiz didn't mince words when asked how Jake Paul can get an upset win over Anthony Joshua.
Grant Young|
Mexican boxer Andy Ruiz on September 17, 2023.
Mexican boxer Andy Ruiz on September 17, 2023. | IMAGO / Newscom / GDA

Most people in the boxing community aren't giving Jake Paul much of a chance to defeat Olympic gold medalist and former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua when they meet in the ring on December 19.

There's no question that Paul deserves to be a heavy underdog in this fight. He has a significant size and experience disadvantage against Joshua, and the fact that Jake only has a few weeks to prepare for him after having trained to fight Gervonta "Tank" Davis (who is about a foot shorter and 100 pounds lighter than Joshua) makes it so this task is even tougher.

But that hasn't stopped Jake from feeling confident about his chances, even in the wake of others giving him no shot. Whenever Paul is asked how he would be able to beat Joshua, he notes that he has a weak chin that would be susceptible to the same right hand Paul used to knock former UFC champion Tyron Woodley out cold back in 2021.

Joshua has only been knocked out twice in his professional career. The most recent KO defeat came in his most recent bout, which was against Daniel Dubois in September 2024. His first defeat by stoppage (and the first loss of his professional career) was against Mexican heavyweight Andy Ruiz in June 2019.

Joshua looked more or less unbeatable before that bout against Ruiz, and entered the ring as a massive favorite. However, Ruiz managed to land a couple of huge right-hand punches that sent Joshua to the canvas. Ultimately, Ruiz secured a TKO win in the 7th round, cementing one of the most shocking upsets in recent memory.

Andy Ruiz (MEX) during the Weigh-In Ceremony prior to the heavyweight boxing match against Luis Ortiz on September 3, 2022.
Andy Ruiz (MEX) during the Weigh-In Ceremony prior to the heavyweight boxing match against Luis Ortiz (CUB) on September 3, 2022. | IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport

Joshua did exact revenge on Ruiz in his next fight, beating him by decision in December 2019.

Andy Ruiz Explains Jake Paul's Path to Victory Against Anthony Joshua

Ruiz spoke with TMZ, which was released on November 28, and got honest about how Jake Paul can secure an upset win over his former foe.

"Just get him with the right hand," Ruiz said. "That's what Jake Paul is lookin' for, the right hand, and if he lands, he can do good damage."

He then added, "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."

Ruiz also said that Paul needs to be "fearless" if he's going to beat Joshua, which is a quality Paul is already displaying by fighting Joshua in the first place.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Boxing, New York Mets, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.