Andy Ruiz insists there’s fat chance of him ever again entering the ring in anything other than proper fighting shape.
It was a harsh lesson dealt to the history-making heavyweight, who ate his way out of an all-too brief title reign in a decisive 12-round loss to Anthony Joshua in their rematch last December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. California’s Ruiz showed up at a grossly out-of-shape 283½ pounds, more than 15 pounds heavier than in his 7th round knockout win over England’s Joshua (23-1, 21KOs) just six months prior.
“My last fight I was 280-something pounds. I was overweight,” Ruiz (33-2, 22KOs) admitted to Fox Sports’ Kate Abdo during a recent edition of Inside PBC Boxing. “I couldn't cut off the ring, I couldn't throw combinations.”
The poor choices made in between fights resulted in Ruiz’s run as the first-ever Mexican boxer to win a heavyweight title reduced to that as a one-hit wonder—at least for now. It also caused a rift with veteran trainer Manny Robles, with whom he split shortly after the rematch.
Ruiz’s weight for the Joshua rematch was the heaviest he’d been since his first three months in the pro ranks, when he weighed 297 ½ pounds in his March 2009 debut and then 292 ½ for his second fight later that June. Both bouts took place in Mexico, as did his third pro fight when he weighed a svelte 250 pounds for his final fight on the other side of the border before taking his act stateside and signing with Top Rank.
Things went well during his prospect years when he typically weighed in the 245-255 pound range, before falling off the wagon late in 2014. By the time he outpointed former heavyweight titlist Siarhei Liakhovich in December 2014, Ruiz was on the outs with Top Rank as he was functionally benched until able to whip himself into better shape.
The hard stance took, as Ruiz returned in 2015 relatively slim and trim. Five wins followed, leading to his first career title fight. Ruiz came up just short in a 12-round loss to Joseph Parker in their December 2016 vacant title fight between unbeaten heavyweights, for which he weighed 255¾ pounds. A year-plus inactive stretch was followed by just two more bouts before he severed ties with Top Rank and eventually landed under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) umbrella.
Ruiz has since weighed 262, 268 and 283½ pounds, but promises that the PBC brass will see his best available version moving forward—and more of him in the ring, while less of his physique.
“I want to be at 250,” Ruiz noted in offering a target weight beginning with his next fight, which he believes will take place in August although he is still in the process of securing a new trainer. “I think 250 would be a perfect weight for me. I will be light, I will be fast with my hands. I want to start camp now and that's what I posted on my Instagram. I want to train now.
“Right now, I want to focus on myself.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
