Former heavyweight champion, Andy Ruiz Jr, has revealed his 2024 hit-list as he looks to get back into world title contention.
Ruiz shocked the world back in 2019 when he dethroned Anthony Joshua as a late replacement at Madison Square Garden in what will go down as one of boxing’s biggest ever upsets.
‘The Destroyer’ enjoyed the spoils of his victory and came into the rematch six months later out of shape and was easily out pointed by ‘AJ’ in Saudi Arabia.
The Mexican-American has only fought twice since that loss, two unanimous decision wins over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz. Ruiz is now looking to get active in the next twelve months and told ESNEWS the three opponents he has his sights set on.
“I want to take out Deontay Wilder, I want to take out Tyson Fury and then I want to get my belts back from Usyk.”
One fight not on the list is a trilogy against Joshua as Ruiz believes the Brit’s team aren’t interesting in matching him up against ‘anyone good’.
“I don’t think they want the fight. I think Eddie Hearn is already traumatised, he doesn’t want to fight him with anyone good, unless he’s just trying to get his money and leave. Of course I’d got to the UK for it, you have to remember when I fought him in the rematch I wasn’t good, I was overweight I forgot everything I was meant to do. Now all I want to do is show my talent next year and everyone will know who Andy Ruiz is.”
Ruiz had looked set to take on Deontay Wilder as a WBC final eliminator for a shot at Tyson Fury’s belt, but the teams failed to reach an agreement and now the clash looks unlikely to happen anytime soon.