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AJ has at least stopped pushing people away, that always looked like a recipe for getting dropped sooner or later.
I'd largely agree. I wonder how hot it was in the ring. That's about the only saving grace I can offer. I think they might look for another route back possibly. Although given belt situation currently perhaps not.
As an aside can you remain at elite level, fighting just twice a year?
GoatandTricycle-
I doubt the ring was significantly hotter than other fights - no reason for it to be.
I could be wrong but I just think he's found his level and he doesn't have it in him to vary his game. He will always have a big puncher's chance but, now the bubble is burst, there'll be lots of fighters who fancy a go and who have the skills.
There are plenty of fighters at the top level who go twice a year. I'd just question whether Joshua has ever been elite.
Markyboy
Things I noticed after around the mid-point of the second round:
-Joshua's jab had no snap, Ruiz had good head movement and was much lighter on his feet, and the jab caused him no problems
-Joshua was flat footed and was easily backed up, in fact he was pushed to the ropes for the rest of the fight
-Joshua only moved to his left, carried his left hand very low (as @GoatandTricycle pointed out) and had zero head movement - all making him vulnerable to Ruiz's right
-Joshua doesn't know how to see out a round when he's been hurt
The last three have been features of his fights for a while, which become more obvious and leave him more vulnerable as his opponents get better, and I think Ruiz was a whole lot better than anyone expected. People have compared the loss to Lewis against Rachman, and pointed out how Lewis came back from that. The difference is that Lewis had a ton more ability than Joshua and was just caught by one of those shots no one gets up from- Joshua's loss shows the limits to his ability and flaws that will be difficult to eradicate. The most puzzling thing is how someone with such a big team of experts runs out of gas so quickly.