Andy Ruiz Sr has announced to ESPN Mexico how his son, Andy Ruiz Jr, will fight Luis Ortiz on Sept 4 at The Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. This fight, one that has been spoken about for some months, could prove to be one of the most memorable heavyweights fights of the year – this in a year that has seen Tyson Fury take care of Dillian Whyte, and with Oleksandr Usyk-Anthony Joshua II, and Joe Joyce-Joseph Parker set to come.
Ruiz, who has boxed just once since losing his world titles to Joshua in their return meeting, needs to not just beat Ortiz but look good in doing so. Ortiz is also in need of an impressive showing if he is going to get himself another shot at a world title. Ruiz’ father said his son will make Ortiz eat his words, Ortiz having called Ruiz a “coward” for not agreeing to fight him.
“My son is going to shut up the one who dared to call him a coward,” Ruiz Sr said. “Andy is very motivated; he is ready to show the world that he belongs to the elite of heavyweights and that he is not afraid of anyone.”
It is to be hoped Ruiz pushes himself in training camp and that he gets himself into better shape than he was for his way tougher than expected fight with Chris Arreola last time out. 32 year old Ruiz was heavily decked and a past his best yet still dangerous Arreola caught him with some hard shots throughout the exciting fight. Ortiz was also dropped in his last fight, twice in fact, by Charles Martin.
The knock on Ruiz is his lack of dedication in the gym (the shape Ruiz showed up in for the AJ return was terrible as well as shocking), while the knock on Ortiz is his age (how old in fact is Ortiz? Some say the Cuban southpaw is older than his listed 43 years).
By the time the September fight rolls around, Ruiz, 34-2(22) will have been out of the ring for some 15 months, while Ortiz, 33-2(28) will not have seen action in a little over seven months. Who will be the sharper guy in L.A on fight night?