Deontay Wilder’s trainer, Malik Scott, believes Andy Ruiz Jr will meet a ‘painful, scary’ end should the pair face off as per a WBC order.
As number one and number two in the heavyweight rankings, Ruiz and Wilder have been offered a final eliminator to decide who’s next in line for a shot at the WBC belt, currently held by Tyson Fury.
Despite some toing and froing from Wilder’s side, and a seemingly unsuccessful bid to instead make a fight with Anthony Joshua, it looks like Ruiz should be the next man to feel his power.
If that does turn out to be the case, Scott is as confident as ever in his man. He told Casinos En Ligne he’s spotted Ruiz’s flaw.
“Andy Ruiz presents absolutely no threat to a disciplined Deontay Wilder. I’ve been going over my notes and from film study I see Andy Ruiz has a problem with disciplined fighters.
The only hope Andy Ruiz has is if you give him an opportunity. But if you stick to a game plan he’s easy to shut down. He’s a good fighter but we all have our loopholes, Andy’s is he can’t beat disciplined fighters.”
The trainer points towards Ruiz’s two fights with Joshua – the first of which he won by stoppage before coming in underprepared from the rematch and facing a frustrating twelve round shutout from the Brit.
“When AJ fought him the first time he was not as disciplined as when he fought him the second time. The minute AJ fought with a systemized game plan it was a shut out.
An old Chris Arreola, who got with Joe Goosen and stuck with a game plan, beat Ruiz in my opinion by two rounds. Every time I look at the tape, I have Arreola winning by two rounds, it definitely wasn’t as wide as the judges had it.”
Ruiz won the Chris Arreola fight, but he was knocked down. Since then, he has beaten Luis Ortiz via decision, and now has the opportunity to face ‘The Bronze Bomber.’
Scott believes the first Mexican heavyweight champion in history will have to close the distance against Wilder, and that it won’t play in his favour.
“Andy Ruiz is going to come to Deontay and when he does he puts himself at risk. We’re going to make him reach, he has to, we’re taller. When he reaches he’s going to pay like he’s never paid before.
A disciplined, systemized Deontay Wilder has no problem with Andy Ruiz. Does that mean Andy is a bad fighter? Bbsolutely not, but Deontay with a game plan; high hand up, chin behind the left knee, patience knowing he’s going to have his big moments – it’s a shutout, a painful, scary shutout.”
If they do take it, both men will be targetting the first half of the year to ensure that the winner is well placed for what promises to be an exciting end of 2023 for the heavyweight scene.