Mike Tyson says Andy Ruiz Jr does not need to lose weight to fight Anthony Joshua as “it can affect power”.
The pair will face off in Saudi Arabia this December.
AJ was left stunned by the man who replaced Jarrell Miller for the fight in New York.
It saw the Brit lose his IBF, WBA, IBO and WBO heavyweight title.
And the 30-year-old has made some drastic changes, such as cutting his weight .
The Mexican, who has only lost one fight in 34, has also been dropping mass in preparation for the rematch.
But Tyson, who remains the youngest fighter to win a heavyweight title at 20, has suggested this is not a good idea for Ruiz.
Speaking to Parimatch, the 53-year-old said: “There have been rumours he has lost weight.
“I don’t like that.
“I believe losing the weight can affect power sometimes.
“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
“He did well at that weight, so he should stay at that weight.
And the former heavyweight champion believed the Mexican’s power was a big asset.
Tyson added: “In the first fight, Ruiz put the pressure on him so fast that he didn’t know what to anticipate.
“And there were some hard punches.”
This footage was shared on Iron Mike’s official Twitter account earlier today, where it has been viewed nearly 30,000 times.
It was soon shared on Instagram, where fans supported the 53-year-old’s theory.
“I agree with Mike here,” one said.
“That weight can help with leverage.”
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