Andy Ruiz Jr. says he has worked too hard to lose his heavyweight titles in his rematch with Anthony Joshua.
Will Andy Ruiz Jr. be an enduring champion or go the way of Buster Douglas? We’ll get a better idea about that soon.
Ruiz stunned the boxing world by stopping Anthony Joshua in seven rounds to win three major heavyweight titles in June. He faces Joshua in an immediate rematch on Saturday in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on DAZN.
Douglas turned in arguably the greatest upset ever when he knocked out Mike Tyson to with the heavyweight championship in 1990. In his next fight, he was stopped by Evander Holyfield. That was more or less the end of Douglas as an elite fighter.
“Of course, I don’t want these beautiful belts to go away,” Ruiz said at the final news conference before the fight. “Remember, I’ve been doing this since I was 6. It’s finally paying off, and no way I’m going let these belts go. I’m going to die trying and do anything that’s possible to get that victory.
“It’s been a long journey, long roller coaster in my life, and no way I’m going to let these go Dec. 7. Let the best man win.”
Ruiz discussed his preparations with Chris Mannix of DAZN.
Anthony Joshua says he’ll be new and improved in his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua seemed to say Tuesday that we’ll see a different fighter from the one who was knocked down four times and stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. in June. Joshua lost his three heavyweight titles that night.
They’ll meet against Saturday in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on DAZN.
“I’m forever changing, that’s what training camp is about, evolution, like night and day,” Joshua said during an open workout. “I shed the skin from last time, re-built myself, and all I’m doing is going to win. That’s what I’m focused on.”
Many observers wonder about Joshua’s psyche after the way he lost to Ruiz, who said the Englishman quit.
Of course, we’ll see where Joshua’s mind is when he steps through the ropes but he’s saying the right words leading up to the fight.
Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz drew sizeable crowds to their open workouts on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. Dave Thompson / Matchroom Sports
“It’s been about being confident, about knowing my capabilities,” Joshua said. “I’ve had a great training camp, I am well prepared, and ready to showcase my skills.”
Joshua (22-1, 21 knockouts) acknowledged that he has thought a lot about Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) and their first fight the past six months. Ruiz replaced Jarrell Miller as Joshua’s opponent after Miller tested positive for banned substances.
“He’s been on my mind five weeks prior to June 1 because that’s when he came in as my replacement, and he will be on my mind forever,” Joshua said.
And Joshua said fans should expect a third fight between them.
“If Andy Ruiz is dedicated to the game, we will see each other a third time down the line as well,” he said. “This won’t be the last time I see Andy Ruiz in the ring … because I think we make for good fights.”
Promoters will not use round card girls for the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Anthony Joshua fight out of respect for the Saudi culture.
Those who watch the Andy Ruiz Jr.-Anthony Joshua rematch on DAZN will notice something different: no round card girls.
That boxing tradition, in which women hold up cards indicating the round that is coming up, has been scrapped by promoters out of respect for the culture of Saudi Arabia, where the heavyweight championship fight will take place on Dec. 7.
The Middle Eastern country requires women to be covered in public. Thus, scantily clad young women probably would not go over well.
The WWE, which held an event in Riyadh last month, had its women wrestlers wear modest clothing in the ring.
Women wrestlers dressed modestly during a WWE event in Saudi Arabia last month. Natalya is pictured here. Fayez Nureldine / AFP via Getty Images
“We need to be respectful of the cultures in the countries we perform in,” the WWE’s Stephanie McMahon said.
Ruiz (33-1, 22 knockouts) is scheduled to defend the titles he took from Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) in June. Ruiz, a big underdog, put Joshua down four times and stopped him in the seventh round in New York.
Andy Ruiz Jr. said on a Sky Sports show that he believes Anthony Joshua quit in their first fight but then seemed to contradicte himself.
Did Anthony Joshua quit in the first fight with Andy Ruiz Jr.? Ruiz thinks so.
Ruiz said as much to Joshua’s face on the Sky Sports show “Gloves Are off,” hosted by Johnny Nelson, who asked Ruiz whether he agreed with those who think Joshua opted out of the fight after the fourth of four knockdowns in the seventh round in June.
“A little bit,” Ruiz said. “I feel he quit because of the way that it was won. I think he was still out of it, I didn’t think he knew where he was at that moment. I think that he quit.”
Naturally, Joshua took exception to that.
“The referee waved off the fight,” he said. “It’s just opinion. … I roll with it, I ride with it. I’m a champion through and through, no matter what anyone says to me.”
Nelson then asked Ruiz what he’d do in that position.
“Depends how hurt I was,” Ruiz replied. “I’m not gonna quit. If I fall, I fall.”
Joshua responded again.
“The conclusion is I quit, but I feel like, why wouldn’t I have stayed, though?” he said.
Ruiz then seemed to contradict himself, saying, “He was still up. The referee was the one that waved it off.”
Ruiz also said he has no choice but to end Joshua’s career with another victory when they meet again on Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia on DAZN.
“I have to,” he said. “I have to, right? He’s trying to take my career as well. It’s either me or him inside the ring.”
There is a lot to be grateful for in boxing. Here are five things that make me feel fortunate on Thanksgiving.
We all have a lot to be grateful for on this Thanksgiving. Here are five things in the boxing world that make me feel fortunate.
A heavyweight who can knock out a Tyrannosaurus rex. I can understand where the purists are coming from. Deontay Wilder doesn’t have the sublime skill set that normally separates the great fighters from the rest. All I know is how I feel when Wilder lands those bombs to end his fights instantly. There is nothing like it in sports. I’m going to enjoy him as long as he’s around.
The spirit of the underdog. The oddsmakers generally know what they’re doing when they make one fighter a favorite – sometimes a prohibitive favorite – over another fighter. Thank goodness not every underdog buys into the prevailing wisdom. I think we’re all inspired by the fighters who overcome the odds, the “Rockys,” if you will. I’m thinking of you Andy Ruiz Jr. and Julian Williams.
The talent at the top: Non-fans ask me occasionally, “What happened to boxing? Where are the great fighters?” They’re there. Uber-talents like Vassiliy Lomachenko, Terence Crawford, Canelo Alvarez, Naoya Inoue, Oleksandr Usyk, Gennadiy Golovkin, Errol Spence, et al would’ve been successful in any era and are a joy to watch. I just wish more sports fans were aware of that.
An abundance of dates. The dying sport certainly produces a lot of shows, both on television and streaming services. ESPN, ESPN+, Fox, Showtime, DAZN and others have made major investments in the sport. And the quality of the cards has generally been very good. If we could only keep MMA fighters and YouTubers out of the picture.
The fighters themselves. They will always be what I’m most grateful for. These young (sometimes not-so-young) men and women risk their very well being to pursue their dreams and entertain us every time they step through the ropes. From the superstars to the journeymen, they need to know that we appreciate them and what they do. I’ll always admire them.
Deontay Wilder said his one-punch knockout of Luis Ortiz on Saturday was further evidence that’s he’s the biggest puncher ever.
LAS VEGAS – Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder made a bold statement after his breathtaking one-punch knockout of Luis Ortiz in their rematch Saturday at the MGM Grand: “I am the hardest … puncher in boxing history. Period.”
Of course, that can’t be quantified but he definitely is building a case for himself.
Start with his knockout ratio: 42 victims, 41 knockouts. That means Wilder (42-0-1) has scored a knockout in 98 percent his victories, an all-time record. Earnie Shavers, George Foreman and Joe Louis, who are often cited as the biggest punchers of all time, had KO percentages of 92, 89 and 79 percent, respectively.
One could argue that those legends stopped better opposition but it’s not as if Wilder is avoiding anyone. Ortiz is a good fighter and Wilder has now stopped him twice. Also, a rematch with Tyson Fury, who went the distance with Wilder, and possible showdowns with Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua await.
Luis Ortiz tried but failed to gather himself after Deontay Wilder landed his big shot. AP Photo / John Locher
And the way Wilder has tended to end fights – with one monstrous shot – stays with those who witness it, enhancing Wilder’s reputation as a knockout artist. The final blows seem to come out of nowhere, which makes them particularly chilling.
That was the case on Saturday. The possibility of a big shot is always there for Wilder but he gave no indication that it was coming against Ortiz, who was leading on all three cards (59-55, 59-55 and 58-56) after six rounds.
Everyone watching the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz fight had to be thinking that same thing at that point: Wilder was digging himself into a deep hole. If he couldn’t stop Ortiz, he was in danger of losing a decision.
One person not concerned? Wilder.
“To be honest I never worry about if I’m losing a fight or not,” he said. “I’m blessed with something that these other guys aren’t blessed with, that’s tremendous power. I know that when I hit guys, it hurts them. When you have power like I have, you’re not worried about if you’re winning rounds or not. I don’t want that to be in my mind … because I don’t want my mind to be cloudy thinking about rounds.
“Most of the time these guys win rounds on me anyway. I know that sooner or later it’s going to come. And when it comes, good night.”
As we know, the scorecards were irrelevant in the end. Wilder positioned himself as arm’s length in the final seconds of Round 7, saw his opening and pulled the trigger. Fight over.
Four of the five best heavyweights will be in action within a two-week period. And they’re not fighting stiffs; they’re facing each other.
GOOD
Four of the five best heavyweights will be in action within a two-week period. And they’re not fighting stiffs; they’re tangling with each other. How often does that happen?
On Saturday, Deontay Wilder defends his title in a rematch with Luis Ortiz in Las Vegas. On Dec. 7, Andy Ruiz Jr. defends his belts in a second fight with Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia. And Tyson Fury, the fifth heavyweight, is in the wings waiting to see how it all plays out.
If you like heavyweight boxing, this is good.
These are tough assignments for all involved, at least on paper. Wilder survived a scare in the seventh round to stop Ortiz in Round 10 in March of last year. Ortiz clearly has the ability to give Wilder trouble – we’ve seen it – and the 40-year-old Cuban seems to understand that this might be his last chance to strike it rich. By all accounts, he’s remarkably fit.
I think Wilder, with the experience of the first fight in the bank, will win again but to say that Ortiz is a live underdog is an understatement.
Many questions surround the Ruiz-Joshua rematch. Ruiz stunned the boxing world by stopping Joshua in seven rounds in June. And it wasn’t a lucky punch that did the trick. Joshua went down four times and seemed to give up in the end, a psychologically damaging fate from which it’s difficult to bounce back.
Should Joshua have taken an interim fight to rebuild his confidence? Will he simply make necessary adjustments and reclaim his rightful position in the heavyweight hierarchy? Does Ruiz have Joshua’s number?
Fascinating stuff.
BAD
Please: Don’t subject us to more of this rubbish. Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images
One main event between YouTubers was enough, even if it did increase DAZN subscriptions and attract some new fans to boxing, as those involved insist. Now promoter Eddie Hearn is hinting that there might be more of that nonsense to come
Ugh.
Hearn had told BoxingScene.com before the KSI-Logan Paul “fight” that he didn’t expect to stage more silly spectacles. Now, after what Hearn and Co. perceive to be a success, they apparently are open to more fights involving YouTubers or other non-boxers on otherwise legitimate cards.
Hearn told BoxingScene: “What we can’t do is turn it into a circus and have random people fighting each other all over the place.”
Guess what: KSI and Logan Paul are random people, at least to boxing fans in general. And, if what Hearn seems to be suggesting becomes reality, we could be headed in the direction of them “fighting each other all over the place.”
The good news is that Hearn said he doesn’t expect YouTubers to headline a boxing card again, although I won’t be surprised if KSI-Paul III ends up as a main event. An exhibition low on the card is much more palatable.
Here’s a better idea, though: Have separate cards featuring only internet personalities and the like. You’ll still make money. You’ll still attract some non-fans to the sport. And you’ll give true fans the ability to opt out if they wish to do so.
I guess I’m a purist. I still cringe when I think of Devin Haney and Billy Joe Saunders fighting on the KSI-Paul undercard. And I know I’m not alone.
WORSE
Did Joe George (left) get enough done against Marcos Escudero to deserve his victory? Dave Mandel / Showtime
I don’t know whether this is bad, worse or something else.
The 10-round light heavyweight fight between Joe George and Marcos Escudero on the ShoBox card Friday in Iowa produced yet another controversial decision, with George winning a split decision even though he was clearly outworked by Escudero.
The Showtime commentators gave George only a few rounds. And I scored it 97-93 for Escudero, seven rounds to three. The official scores? 97-93 and 97-94 for George, 96-94 for Escudero.
I’m still scratching my head.
My instinct is to bemoan yet another example of poor scoring but I’m not so sure I have it right. George (10-0, 6 knockouts) seemed to spend half the fight covering up with his back against the ropes, taking far more punches from Escudero (10-1, 9 KOs) than he was delivering.
Many of Escudero’s shots hit gloves and arms, which means they weren’t scoring blows, but plenty of them did hit legitimate targets. Or so it seemed. I wasn’t at ringside, as the judges were.
I presume that the two judges who scored the fight in George’s favor – Bob LaFratte and Carlos Sucre – saw those exchanges differently. They must’ve thought that George blocked the vast majority of those punches. And I suppose one could argue that the winner landed the bigger blows when he didn’t open up and let his hands go.
I don’t know, though. It sure felt from watching on TV as if Escudero won that fight.
Andy Ruiz Jr’s trainer, Manny Robles, says his fighter will be better prepared when he faces Anthony Joshua again on December 7.
Trainer Manny Robles repeatedly watches the video of Andy Ruiz Jr.’s upset of Anthony Joshua. But not to celebrate. That party is over. His critical eye is searching for what to do next.
Turns out, there’s plenty, more than enough to make Robles happy at the chances Ruiz can do it all over again on December 7 in Saudi Arabia on DAZN.
“Sitting back and looking at the fight on numerous occasions, I feel like he wasn’t at his best,’’ Robles told iFL TV. “I feel like we had more to do. More work to do mentally and physically. I feel you’ll see a better fighter, mentally and physically, this time around.’’
The key difference is that Ruiz isn’t a late stand-in for the rematch. For the June 1 bout in New York, Ruiz got the call after news of Jarrell Miller’s positive PED test. Ruiz said sure. He took the fight. Then he heard the jokes about his flabby upper body and his chances. He had nothing to lose, so he won it all.
Andy Ruiz Jr. (right) did fine in his first fight with Anthony Joshua but his trainer insists he can do better. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II, File
Now he’s in a new role, although he is still the betting underdog, yet by a much smaller margin than the 25-to-1 odds he faced six months ago.
“I think he’s still the same person outside of boxing, but this time around, I think he’s got a bigger responsibility, boxing-wise, knowing he’s a world champion,’’ Robles said. “He’s got that sense of responsibility.
“We talk about that from time-to-time. I tell him, ‘Look, this isn’t just about you anymore. You got a whole country behind you, here and in Mexico.’‘’
Taking the fight to Saudi Arabia was Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn’s decision. In effect, Robles said, it makes Ruiz feel like the challenger, even though he has three of the belts.
“We’d be fighting in America, maybe Las Vegas or Southern California,’’ Robles said. “With that said, we’re coming in as challengers. We understand we’re not the favorites.
“So we’ve got to prove the world wrong, and everyone that does not still believe, we’ve got to make them believe.”
