Former unified world heavyweight champ, Andy Ruiz, is just one step away from getting another crack at what he let slip away almost three years ago. Facing Cuba’s Luis Ortiz this Sunday, September 4, in a WBC title eliminator, the former champ will get his chance to win another world title if he emerges victorious– something that means everything to the man who once had just about everything.
Not too many men can claim they rocked the world. Andy Ruiz, however, did just that when he upset the UK’s Anthony Joshua back in June of 2019 to be become an unlikely 3-belt world heavyweight champ.
His thrilling performance that day in Madison Square Garden, in what was supposed to be Joshua’s grand and triumphant US debut, is now the stuff of legend. Dropped in the third round by the heavily-favored defending WBA/IBF/WBO champ, the pudgy Mexican-American got off the canvas and proceeded to knock Joshua down seconds later and drop him again seconds after that. He would then push and push until the Brit collapsed, dropped two more times in the seventh and provoking a referee stoppage.
Ruiz’s rags to glory story was a hard one to resist. Labeled “The Mexican Rocky,” he made the rounds on mainstream media and even appeared on late night network TV. Snickers snatched him up as a spokesperson. Even the Mexican government gave him a hero’s welcome as the first fighter of Mexican descent to hold a world heavyweight title. Needless to say, this mainstream love for a boxer is exceedingly rare.
Ruiz soaked it all up and gave in to indulgence. He immediately bought a $450,000 Rolls-Royce, grabbed a bunch of new bling, and purchased a ridiculously expensive mansion in the ridiculously expensive California real estate market. He also partied with celebrities, like a celebrity, and held lavish parties at his new mansion estate.
It was excessive for a fighter who, not too long before this windfall, was struggling to make ends meet and nearly gave up on his career for something with a more steady income. And, of course, it deeply affected the way he went about his training.
Six months later, he would lose his three belts back to Joshua via one-sided unanimous decision. He came into his contractually-mandated rematch overweight and clearly under-trained. It was a passive, sheep’s performance when stacked up against his hungry lion’s show months earlier.
He would fire trainer Manny Robles after the loss, apologize for his poor effort, and make some noise about coming back better then ever. Then, Ruiz just sort of disappeared for a bit.
He would reemerge a year-and-a-half later to beat fellow distraction-prone Mexican-American battler Chris Arreola. Afterwards, he would spend time releasing videos of himself in the gym, in “beast mode.” He would join Team Canelo Alvarez to work with trainer Eddy Reynoso. He would leave Team Canelo Alvarez and Reynoso. He would release more videos of himself in “beast mode.” And now, after nearly another year-and-a-half without fighting, he’s signed up to face Cuba’s Ortiz in what will be a true crossroads, “must win” fight for both.
Needless to say, this bout with Ortiz is vital to the 32-year-old Ruiz’s future as a main stage, high-end fighter. A win brings him right back to the door of opportunity that he knocked down more than three years ago and it’ll give him a chance to wipe the subsequent three years of disappointment and underachievement off the slate.
A shot at redemption comes with a win this Labor Day weekend. A loss, however, could finalize the self-ruin of Ruiz’s career.
