Cuban heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz is beating the drum for a clash with former unified champion Andy Ruiz.
Mexican-American Ruiz recently contacted Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn regarding the possibility of a third meeting between the duo. Ruiz famously shocked the boxing world by halting Joshua in seven rounds in June 2019 before losing the rematch on the cards in Saudi Arabia the following December.
But former two-time world title challenger ‘King Kong’ Ortiz believes Ruiz should forget about a trilogy fight with Joshua and earn the right to battle for the Briton’s heavyweight crowns by facing him first. A ringside Ortiz (32-2, 27 KOs & 2 NC) called out Ruiz following his hard-fought points win over Chris Arreola earlier this month. The Cuban veteran says Ruiz told him he needed more time to prepare for a fight with him.
“The [Ruiz-Arreola] fight was very close. The fight was a bit of unfair with the judges, but I went there to let him know that I am in line to fight him,” Ortiz told journalist Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald.
“If Andy Ruiz wants to fight for the title again, here I am. If he beats me, he has every chance of doing that.
“I have said [I want that fight] on several occasions and I keep repeating it. If you are one of the elite in boxing, you shouldn’t dodge anyone. You can’t say you’re not ready to fight King Kong and then say you’re ready to fight [Deontay] Wilder, [Tyson] Fury, or Joshua. And what about King Kong? Let’s fight.
“As always, I’m in the gym, preparing and maintaining myself, getting rid of any rust on me. I can’t stay away from the gym and wait for the phone to ring for them to tell me I’m having a fight. When that comes along, they won’t catch me off-guard.”