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Anthony Joshua must imitate Lennox Lewis’ style to defeat Andy Ruiz Jr, says David Haye

David Haye has urged Anthony Joshua to mimic the style of Lennox Lewis when he rematches Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia on December 7.

Haye cited Lewis’ wins over Samoan knockout artist David Tua in 2000 and Mike Tyson two years later as the blueprint Joshua needs to apply if he wants to regain the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight championships.

Lewis scored a wide points win over Tua and knocked out Tyson in eight frames.

“He should look at how Lennox Lewis beat a knockout specialist like David Tua in 2000,” Haye told the Times.

“He nullified him. It was the same when he beat Mike Tyson.

“Lennox didn’t engage him up close. It is not the most entertaining style but it’s very effective.”

All the pressure will be on Joshua to avenge his shock defeat to Ruiz Jr back in June when he was stopped in seven rounds by the prohibitive underdog.

Joshua and Lewis have a rocky relationship, with ‘AJ’ recently calling the retired heavyweight champion ‘a clown’ after being accused of ‘chasing the money’ and calling for trainer Rob McCracken to be fired following the defeat to Ruiz Jr.

“I don’t really say that much, but if you keep on poking me and poking me into a corner then I am going to bark and bite back,” Joshua said at the time.

“I am not a confrontational type of person, I keep myself to myself, but if you keep prodding me then I am going to spark back one of these days.

“Lennox was not a clown for his boxing, the man is a beast for his boxing, we have his photos all over my gym.

“When we talk about boxing, I respect that but when we sit around the table as men I only talk about wanting to appreciate the younger generation but I feel when it comes to me he’s different.

“He seemed to be saying ‘Anthony is dodging someone, he’s this or that’ and I just wondered why he is always attacking me, rather than reaching out and helping me, when I needed it.”