Former heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz Jr is one of the fighters that, according to experts, could be well suited to test the qualities of British prospect Moses Itauma, thanks to his experience and his notoriously solid chin. The Mexican, however, does not seem inclined to accept this challenge in the short term, as he wants to have two comeback fights first.
Ruiz has not experienced glory days since that shocking night in June 2019, when he knocked out WBA, IBF and WBO world champion Anthony Joshua against all odds, taking his belts. “The Destroyer” lost the titles in the immediate rematch against AJ, arriving in poor physical condition, and then slipped out of the elite scene also due to a very low level of activity.
Over the last four years, Ruiz has fought only twice, narrowly defeating Cuba’s Luis Ortiz on points and drawing with American Jarrell Miller thanks to a rather generous decision in his favor. Nearly two years have passed since then, and the Mexican still has no fight scheduled.
Asked by reporters about Itauma’s level and the possibility of facing him, Ruiz replied:
He’s a bad man. He’s really good. His combinations, his timing, everything, is really good. I think he’s a really dangerous fighter to anybody who’s trying to get at him right now. I think right now for him he just needs to just keep winning these fights and get his record up.
I don’t back down from any fight, but I want to be ready to fight. I want to get at least two fights in first. Then if they put me with him, I’ll be ready, and it will be a great fight. When you combine a Mexican fighting style that’s about going forward and not being scared of getting hit, with his style, then I think it will make for an interesting fight. So, we’ll see if he has it or not.
If I’m at 100 per cent, and I’m in shape, I don’t think there’s anyone that could beat me. I think me and Itauma would go at it though… I’m gonna come in fresh and I’m gonna come in differently than before.
Interesting how he wants to get in multiple fights first. Makes me wonder if he’s focusing more on experience than just the outcome.