Alexander Volkanovski opens up about knowing Mauricio Ruffy was not ready for Arman Tsarukyan. Over the last couple of months Alexander Volkanovski has been a pillar in the training camp for Maurico Ruffy and has cornered him in his last two fights. Volk spoke recently saying he knew Ruffy needed a few more camps to deal with the puzzle that Arman Tsarukyan is and since the fight was on short notice it gave Volk even more doubts and questions. The fight ended in the first round with Ruffy getting knocked out.
Alexander Volkanovski says he sensed Mauricio Ruffy was not ready for Arman Tsarukyan before the Brazilian was knocked out in the first round of their short-notice fight.
Volkanovski has been a central figure in Ruffy's training camp over the past couple of months and has worked his corner in his last two fights. Speaking recently, the former featherweight champion said Ruffy needed a few more camps to solve the puzzle Tsarukyan presents. The short-notice nature of the bout, he said, only added to his doubts and questions heading in.
Ruffy, a 30-year-old Brazilian lightweight, is 14-3 and ranked seventh in the division. He fights out of The Fighting Nerds and carries a 56 percent striking accuracy, landing 3.93 significant strikes per minute. The knockout loss marks his third defeat.
Tsarukyan, 29, represents Russia and trains at American Top Team. He is 24-3 and ranked second at lightweight. His grappling is the standout part of his résumé, averaging 3.25 takedowns per 15 minutes, though he also landed the finishing blows in this fight.
Volkanovski, 38, is an Australian from Freestyle Fighting Gym. He is 28-4, holds a featherweight title and sits third in the pound-for-pound rankings. His 5.99 significant strikes landed per minute and 57 percent accuracy make him one of the more active strikers in the sport, and he brings that experience to Ruffy's corner.
Why it matters
- Tsarukyan's win over a top-10 lightweight on short notice strengthens his standing near the top of the division.
- Volkanovski's comments point to the risk of rushed matchups, even for a fighter with Ruffy's ranking.
- Ruffy's camp now has a clear message from his own cornerman: more preparation time against a puzzle like Tsarukyan.
