Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz, who followers label as a one-hit surprise, is happy to have been chosen by His Excellency for the Riyadh Season occasion on August third, preventing Jarrell Miller on the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
The One-Hit Surprise Returns
If not for Turki Alalshikh, the 34-year-old Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) would nonetheless be accumulating mud on the sidelines along with his two-year layoff, his second within the final 5 years. Ruiz has the unbelievable hopes of changing into a two-time heavyweight world champion, but it surely doesn’t look promising.
Ruiz has dropped from the highest 15 rankings by all 4 sanctioning our bodies thanks to a different lengthy layoff. He gained’t get an opportunity to battle for a world title if he continues to vanish for prolonged breaks every time he fights.
Promoter Eddie Hearn is predicting a victory for the 36-year-old Jarrell Miller (26-1-1, 22 KOs) on August third, as he seemed good in a dropping effort in opposition to Daniel Dubois on December twenty third final 12 months in Riyadh.
Even that out-of-shape 333-lb Miller could be a large drawback for Ruiz, who struggled in his final battle two years in the past in opposition to 43-year-old Luis Ortiz. Though Ruiz received the win, however solely due to the three knockdowns he scored.
Within the rounds that Ruiz didn’t rating knockdowns, Ortiz outboxed him. The scores have been 114–111, 114–111 and 113–112. The one different battle that Ruiz has had within the final 5 years was in opposition to 40-year-old Chris Arreola, who dropped him within the contest however gassed out and misplaced a twelve-round unanimous determination on Could 1st, 2021.
“I’m actually completely satisfied to be in motion on August third. I do know it’s been an extended minute, however issues occur for a purpose, and we’re again right here now,” mentioned Andy Ruiz Jr. to the media, speaking about him coming off a two-year layoff to battle Jarrell Miller on August third on ESPN+ PPV.
If Ruiz is ring-rusty from inactivity, Miller might beat him and end thie job that Anthony Joshua began of their rematch in December 2019. Ruiz ought to win, given his pedigree, however the day out of the ring and the dearth of ambition are worrisome. He’s simply not hungry anymore. He have to be getting paid properly by His Excellency to get off the sofa to take the battle with Miller.
“We’re simply right here to make extra historical past,” mentioned Ruiz. “I’m tremendous excited to proceed my mission and my path. All the fellows are all primary occasion actions. So, I’m actually blessed to be a part of the occasion,” mentioned Ruiz concerning the fighters on the undercard of the August third occasion.
Ruiz doesn’t sound like he totally grasps how badly his profession goes as a result of he gained’t get one other probability to battle for a world title until he will get busy preventing three to 4 occasions per 12 months.
Even then. Ruiz would want to beat some stable contenders to get ranked excessive sufficient to battle for a title, and his final three performances recommend that he doesn’t possess the flexibility.
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have had this chance to battle Anthony Joshua and develop into the primary Mexican heavyweight champion of the world,” mentioned Ruiz about Jarrell Miller being pulled from his June 1st, 2019 battle in opposition to Anthony Joshua after testing constructive. Ruiz then got here in because the substitute opponent and knocked out IBF, WBA, and WBO heavyweight champion Joshua within the seventh spherical to briefly develop into the unified champ.
Miller testing constructive for PEDs 5 years in the past modified Ruiz’s life, turning him right into a millionaire by permitting him to step in and get the gig in opposition to Joshua. if not for that, Ruiz could be one of many many contenders within the division, making an attempt to make ends meet.
“I all the time salute him [Miller]. We’re good associates exterior of the ring, however contained in the ring, it’s a complete totally different factor. We’re each preventing for a similar factor. We each wish to develop into champions, and we each wish to win,” mentioned Ruiz.
