Dillian Whyte has openly criticised the comeback of Andy Ruiz.
The WBC Interim heavyweight title holder isn’t convinced that the former heavyweight champion is at all serious about his return which will end a 17-month absence when he fights Chris Arreola on May 1.
The all-Mexican clash will see the slimmed down and new-look Ruiz attempt to rebuild his status as a legitimate world title contender after losing his titles in a rematch against Anthony Joshua in December 2019. Whyte described Arreola as “shot” and said this fight is only meant to make Ruiz look good.
“A strategic comeback fight,” Whyte told Sky Sports. “It’s a fight that’s going to make him look good.
“Make him look like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s this and he’s that,’ but on paper it’s not. If you run it on paper, it’s not, because Chris Arreola is shot. Chris Arreola has been shot for a few years.
“If he was fighting Chris Arreola a few years ago, people would be like, ‘No, that’s a garbage fight.’ Now it’s the same, if not worse.
“It’s a good strategic move from his team, him coming back and he’ll bash Arreola. ‘Andy Ruiz, yeah he’s back, and he’s motivated, and he looked so good.’
“Let’s be honest, it’s Chris Arreola he’s fighting. Typical joke fight from the fake Mexican.”
Ruiz, now trained by Eddy Reynoso recently posed for pictures with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to show how much he has taken off his frame. Ruiz should be applauded for that at the very least, but Whyte doubts the 31-year-old’s overall commitment to boxing.
“If he wasn’t motivated when he had the whole world at his feet… He had 80 per cent of the major titles, and he wasn’t motivated.
“We’ll have to wait and see.”