Andy Ruiz Jr has been biding his time to get a fight that will take him back to the top of the heavyweight division, and he’s in the gym to prepare for just that.
Ruiz became Mexico’s first ever heavyweight world champion with a shock win over Anthony Joshua in New York back in 2019. The party was short-lived, though, with ‘AJ’ winning his unified titles back in an immediate rematch one year later.
Since then, Ruiz has racked up two wins – Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz – and found himself in a favourable position with the WBC, whose current champion is Tyson Fury.
As Fury navigates a potential undisputed fight with the division’s other champion, Oleksandr Usyk, Ruiz has been ordered to face the WBC’s number one ranked heavyweight, Deontay Wilder.
The winner of that fight is in line for a title shot – and Ruiz is nothing but determined to get that chance. In recent training footage, he can be seen packing a whole load of power into an uppercut, and drilling it over and over.
Going in with someone who has the power of Wilder is a daunting prospect for any heavyweight, and this footage may give an insight into the Ruiz game plan – land first.
With quick hands and a powerful counter punch in his arsenal, the Mexican will fancy his chances, but ‘The Bronze Bomber’ Wilder is likely to enter the bout a favourite.
Whilst Ruiz prepares, Team Wilder are still toing and froing about taking the fight. Trainer Malik Scott recently said that it would likely be Ruiz, but revealed that there was a ‘mystery opponent’ in the running too.