Despite being ordered by the WBC to fight to crown a number one contender, Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr failed to come to terms and make it happen.
That order was given back in November of 2022, with the winner nailed on to be the mandatory challenger for Tyson Fury.
Initial talks fizzled out and both teams went quiet until negotiations returned very publicly earlier this summer. After some positive words, Ruiz Jr’s father said that they were being lowballed by Wilder’s team.
Things collapsed from there, and ‘The Bronze Bomber’ has ruled out the contest on the grounds of Ruiz ‘pricing himself out.’
He has now revealed the details of that claim to ES News, saying the Mexican wanted $25 million.
“He priced himself out. He wanted 25 million. 20-25 million, and he know he ain’t finna get that s**t nowhere. Being a six-month champion or less. It would’ve been lesser than that if Joshua didn’t come along.
“How do they thing they’re gonna get 20 million? That’s the Daddy … You Daddy trying to steal, b**ch. Stop it.”
“If this ain’t no price out then what it is? Come on. This ain’t even no title fight. This is what an eliminator? You talking about 20-25 million. Guess what? I hope you enjoy sitting on the shelf.”
Ruiz, who became the first Mexican heavyweight champion in history by beating Anthony Joshua, was reported to have earned $7 million in that first fight and around double when he lost the belts in a rematch.
Not long after Wilder’s claims, Ruiz was also accused of overpricing himself in negotiations to skip the final eliminator and face Fury. The Brit’s team said he asked for 20 million.
Neither of the former champions now have a fight lined up, with Wilder expected to sit out the entire year in favour of waiting for a mega-money clash with Joshua in early 2024.
Ruiz has nothing clear on the horizon.