In some good news, it has been reported by ESPN.com that former heavyweight champ Andy Ruiz will NOT be fighting kickboxer/unbeaten (but untested) heavyweight Tyrone Spong in his next fight. News broke earlier this week, reporting how “The Destroyer” would be fighting Spong in Mexico City in July. Fight fans were far from impressed with the news, while Luis Ortiz – who the ESPN.com article says Ruiz signed to fight this summer – called Ruiz a “coward.”
Now, in a nutshell, the Spong fight is off and Ruiz will face Ortiz next, with a summer date to be announced. There is no word yet on a venue, but this is a solid match-up, one that Ruiz, if he wins, will use to get himself back at the front of the line as far as having earned a title shot. Ortiz may be 43 (some say even older than his official age) but the Cuban southpaw is dangerous. Beaten only by Deontay Wilder, Ortiz has wanted to fight Ortiz for some time. Now he has his wish.
Ruiz will have to raise his game from his last fight, when he was heavily dropped by Chris Arreola, was then hurt again more than once, before winning a decision. That said, Ortiz was also dropped in his last fight, when Charles Martin sent him over a couple of times in their exciting rumble. A good case can be made for a Ruiz win over Ortiz, while an equally good case can be made for an Ortiz win over Ruiz.
Credit to both guys for taking this risky, but rewarding fight. Ruiz would have been wasting everyone’s time by fighting Spong. Now, against Ortiz, the former champ and the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent is giving both his career and the paying fans what is wanted. There has been plenty of moaning and groaning about the number of boxing pay-per-view events just lately, and rightly so. But Ruiz Vs. Ortiz is a heavyweight showdown that plenty of fans will be happy to pay for.
Who wins this one now that it’s finally on?
