Andy Ruiz: record, next fight and profile →
This past Saturday night in Carson, California - former WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz snapped his 17 month stint of inactivity. Fighting for the first time since a decision loss in his rematch with Anthony Joshua in December 2019, Ruiz won a hard-fought twelve round decision over fellow Mexican boxer Chris Arreola.
Al Haymon hasn’t discussed potential opponents with Andy Ruiz Jr. just yet. Now that he has shed some ring rust, however, Ruiz is interested in fighting another dangerous heavyweight who is into his 40s. Luis Ortiz attended the Ruiz-Chris Arreola fight because the strong southpaw wants to face the former heavyweight champion.
By Corey Erdman - Sometime around 2006 or 2007, Chris Arreola recalls, he shared the ring with Andy Ruiz for the first time. Arreola was a heavyweight prospect on the rise, knocking out opponents on California club shows, on the verge of his big break on HBO. Even in a bountiful boxing market like California, heavyweights are always in need of bodies big enough to spar them, and there just so happened to be a teenager who had the requisite poundage on his frame in the gym that day.
Former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. bounced back from an early knockdown to defeat all-action heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola by unanimous decision in the main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event Saturday night from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Ruiz, Arreola Fight Photos Gallery - Carson, California - In a crossroads heavyweight contest, former unified champion Andy Ruiz (34-2, 22 KOs) had to survive an early scare to win a twelve round unanimous decision over veteran Chris Arreola (38-7-1, 33 KOs). (photos by Sean Michael Ham, Ryan Hafey, Fox Sports)
Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz pulled away in the second half of the fight, outlanding veteran Chris Arreola 98-58 over the last 6 rounds. Ruiz landed 44.5% of his power punches and had a 161-109 edge in punches landed.
By Keith Idec - Andy Ruiz Jr. overcame a knockdown and additional trouble Saturday night to avoid ending up on the wrong end of a huge upset. Ruiz got up from a second-round knockdown, recovered from Chris Arreola’s left hook early in the third round and beat the veteran heavyweight by unanimous decision in their 12-rounder at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Judges Lou Moret (118-109), Pat Russell (118-109) and Zachary Young (117-110) scored their bout by wide distances for Ruiz, who was listed by most Internet sports books as a 25-1 favorite entering their FOX Sports Pay-Per-View main event.
Andy Ruiz, Chris Arreola Scorecard BoxingScene Live - A day remains before the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View card on Saturday, May 1. The event is headlined by former unified heavyweight world champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. battling all-action heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. (photos by Sean Michael Ham, Fox Sports)
Chris Arreola underestimated Andy Ruiz Jr. the first time they sparred. Ruiz was a 16-year-old amateur the day he walked into Lincoln Boxing Club in Riverside, California, eager to test himself against the Mexican-American heavyweight contender he admired. Arreola took one look at Ruiz and asked his former trainer, Henry Ramirez, if he was serious.
Andy Ruiz knew he had to change everything about his career if his next boxing relationship was going to work. The trainer tasked with taking over the reins had to know that Ruiz was willing to go to that extreme before taking him on as a client.