Manny Robles is still smarting over his split from ex-heavyweight titlist Andy Ruiz.
The veteran trainer was in Ruiz’s corner the night he notched an historic upset over Anthony Joshua last June to pick up three heavyweight belts. He was also there in Saudi Arabia six months later in the rematch to witness Ruiz, sluggish and out of shape, hand back the titles to Joshua in a disappointing points loss.
Soon thereafter, Ruiz cut ties with Robles. According to Robles, he never had another chance to chat with Ruiz after that weekend.
That left an acid taste in Robles’ mouth. In a recent interview with IFL TV, Robles elaborated on aspects of the fallout as well as Ruiz’s lack of preparation for the rematch. Ruiz weighed in at 283.5 pounds, nearly 15 more than his weight for the first bout.
“Obviously, [I was] very disappointed,” Robles said. “I tried to hang in there as much as I could and not lose faith in my fighter and hoping that he would wake up one day and realize the importance and responsibility that he had for himself and his family.”
But with instant fame came heavyweight riches.
“You gotta understand: He’s a ghetto boy,” Robles said. “He’s a kid who never had anything in life and all of a sudden you wake up and you have millions of dollars in the bank and [are] ready to make more money, more millions at that. It’s just overwhelming.”
And with riches came the usual sycophants.
“He made a lot of new friends that weren’t around when he had nothing,” Robles said. “And unfortunately people change with money, money and fame. Money changes some people. I can’t say all people.
“But it changed him. And unfortunately it changed him for the worst.”
Robles, however, understands that such an outcome is nothing new. Many heavyweight underdogs – from Buster Douglas to Oliver McCall – who reach the pinnacle of the division suddenly find themselves back to square one. The good life becomes a little too good.
“It’s hard to wake up in the morning when you have that much money in the bank,” Robles said. “I tried to convince him that you have a huge responsibility. If money is what drives you, go out there and make more. Lets go beat this guy again.
“Like I said, I did everything I could on my end but unfortunately it wasn’t enough.”
Asked what he thinks about a rumored fight between Ruiz and Luis Ortiz in the summer, Robles still believed in his former charge.
“Andy can win that fight, but he’s just got to be ready,” Robles said. “He’s gotta show up.”