By: Sean Crose
Andy Ruiz was undoubtedly the talk of the boxing world in 2019. In fact, after shocking Anthony Joshua in his US debut that June, Ruiz became a genuine fan favorite. It’s hard not to admire a man who agreed to fight a world heavyweight champion on short notice before defeating said champion. Joshua was scheduled to face Jarrell Miller that June night, but Miller had to pull out due to a positive drug test. Then Ruiz took his chance and stunned the world. The man truly became an overnight sensation.
Unfortunately, the party didn’t last long. Soon after being hailed as a Snickers-loving, gleeful underdog story that became reality, Ruiz began to show signs of losing his discipline. He was celebrating his big moment, sure, but he was already scheduled to fight Joshua again in December. Needless to say, when the two men met again, this time in Saudi Arabia, Joshua won easily. Changing his style, Joshua was able to avoid looking sloppy and out of shape for Ruiz by opting to box rather than engage in a brawl. In short, Joshua made it look easy.
There has been little action from Ruiz since then. Two fights, one against Chris Arreola and one against Luis Ortiz, ended in wins for Ruiz. However, the man has only fought twice in the past four years. On August 8, Ruiz will return to the ring. His opponent? The man who was supposed to face Joshua on the night of the Brit’s US debut, Jarrell Miller, will now face Ruiz that night at the BMO Arena in Los Angeles. It’s an interesting match-up between a fighter who is considered an underdog and another who is considered a wasted talent.
However, Ruiz has made it clear that he now wants to make the most of his opportunity. Speaking to DAZN, Ruiz admitted that he did not make the most of his success after it came so suddenly. “I think I got too caught up in the party life,” Ruiz declared. “I’m still enjoying the win.” In short, Ruiz has let the good times get the best of him. “I completely forgot that I had a rematch in six months,” he added. “Time flies.” Indeed. However, at 34, the man could make up for lost time… as could Miller, 36. It should be an interesting fight.
