Andy Ruiz has already made a piece of boxing history, by becoming the very first fighter of Mexican descent to win the world heavyweight title, but the new WBA/IBF/WBO ruler wants to make more. Ruiz, arguably the single hottest fighter on the planet right now, wants to fill the cavernous Azteca Stadium in Mexico, and he feels his upcoming, eagerly awaited return fight with Anthony Joshua would do it.
It was an epic night back in 1993, when Julio Cesar Chavez, perhaps the finest fighter the great country of Mexico has ever produced, fought Greg Haugen before a monstrous 132,000 paying crowd. There has never been a world heavyweight title fight fought at the Azteca, and Ruiz very much wants to put this right.
“I’d like that, it’d be good. It’s be something of history because they have never fought [in the Azteca] two heavyweight world champions,” Ruiz told ESPN MX.
It would be a special night indeed if Ruiz-Joshua II took place at the legendary venue; one that has only hosted a boxing card on two occasions: the Chavez fight and, way back in the 1960s, the Vicente Saldivar-Howard Winstone featherweight battle. Might heavyweight history unfold in the heart of Mexico this November or December? It would be an incredibly tough deal for Joshua if he had to face not only Ruiz but an absolute army of rabid and passionate Mexican fight fans. But Joshua would no doubt get a ton of credit if he agreed to fight Ruiz inside such a fortress.
And if A.J could rise to the occasion in one big, big way and avenge his first pro loss in Mexico, he would likely get a genuine hero’s welcome upon his return home to the UK. With a good under-card to back it (the Chavez-Haugen fight was supported by a superb under-card, featuring greats like Azumah Nelson, Gerald McClellan and Terry Norris in action) Ruiz-Joshua II at the Azteca would no doubt be THE boxing event of the year.
Who wouldn’t want to tune in, or even better, be there live and in person!