Last seen coming oh, so close to decisioning Joseph Parker in a clash for the vacant WBO heavyweight crown, Andy Ruiz Junior, who fell short on the cards after 12 interesting rounds in New Zealand back in December of 2016, is set to return to the ring in March. According to a news bit on ESPN.com, Ruiz, 29-1(19) will face former Olympian Devon Vargas (yes, he’s still fighting!) on the under-card of the Oscar Valdez-Scott Quigg showdown on March 10.
Andy Ruiz Jr
Plenty going on at heavyweight
“Ruiz has the fastest hands since Ali,” Hughie Fury ready to “take all these champions,” Scott is “a Bentley who can outbox Ortiz”
Today’s heavyweight division may be plenty muddled as far as the man on the street knowing who the world champion is goes (we could soon have as many as six champs, all of them holding a belt of some kind) – but there is no shortage of action.
Joseph Parker-Andy Ruiz Jnr ordered by the WBO, and the winner must defend against David Haye
It has been confirmed how the WBO has ordered unbeaten heavyweight contenders Andy Ruiz Jnr and Joseph Parker to fight for the vacant title, with the fight expected to be officially announced for New Zealand on December 10. This news came from Puerto Rico, where the WBO are currently holding their convention.
Now Joseph Parker’s manager says a fight with Andy Ruiz Jr could happen
The heavyweight boxing landscape took a huge shift with the news that world champ Tyson Fury would be unable to fight for the foreseeable future due to mental health issues, and with Fury likely to be stripped of the belts he currently holds: the WBA and WBO titles, rival fighters are looking at getting their hands on them.
The latest news – subject to change, of course – tells us this: IBF champ Anthony Joshua will box in November; either against mandatory challenger Joseph Parker or former king Wladimir Klitschko. The WBO belt is expected to be declared vacant in the next ten days. The WBA will look into Fury’s position and make a decision forthwith.