Andy Ruiz Jr is just days away from his showdown in Los Angeles with ever-dangerous Luis Ortiz.
The former champion shot to the top of the heavyweight picture when he dethroned Anthony Joshua in June of 2019. AJ won the belts back in an immediate rematch – one that saw Ruiz enter the ring apparently out of shape and under trained.
This, paired with the fact that he may not have a typical athlete’s build, has meant that conversations about ‘Destroyer’s weight have been poignant in the lead up to his fights ever since.
Speaking to FightHype.com, Ruiz responded to the ‘pressures’ of the weight speculation. He’s keen to let people know that a number on the scale isn’t what wins fights.
“I’ve been doing everything that I’ve been supposed to do, bro. I don’t want to say a lot of stuff but yesterday we ate [Raising] Cane’s – I’m not in a big diet, you know? I’ve been eating good.”
“The main thing and the most important thing is just putting the hard work inside of the gym. So weight – it goes off and it comes back on whenever it does. We’re just focused on boxing.”
“260 [lbs]. I’m in the 60s. So I weigh exactly what [I did] when I fought Anthony Joshua [1st fight]. But having more ability, you know, moving around. I feel good, man.”
His official weight is logged at 268 lbs for the first Joshua fight. If he is indeed coming in similar for Ortiz, we may be about to see the best version of the fighter, complete with the incredible hand speed that famously shocked and stopped the British Champion.
Ruiz goes on to say that he likes the idea of champions in the lighter weight classes being able to jump up and down with relative ease, despite it being out of reach for him.
“I wish I was a little guy like that so I could be champion in this weight, and that weight, and that weight. But I guess God made me a champion like this so I could, I don’t know, inspire other big dudes.”
As for taking on a new division himself, Ruiz smiled and joked:
“As soon as I’m done with the heavyweight division I would wanna’ make history and become the first Mexican cruiserweight Champion of the World – and, you know, I’m pretty close… I just gotta’ lose 50 pounds!”
Ruiz faces off against Luis Ortiz on September 4. UK fans can watch via FITE TV.