Raphael Zambrano Love Tabs Andy Ruiz To Beat Joseph Parker
By Ryan Burton
Veteran heavyweight Raphael Zambrano Love (39-13-1) is very familiar with the WBO's #1 ranked heavyweight Joseph Parker (21-0) and #3 ranked Andy Ruiz Jr. (29-0).
Over the next few days the WBO, WBA and IBO are expected to strip current champion Tyson Fury with the recent announcement that he tested positive.
While there are still hurdles to cross, talks between Parker and Ruiz's promoters are progressing swiftly to match the two fighters on December 10th in New Zealand for the vacant WBO belt.
BoxingScene.com recently caught up with Zambrano to get his take on the potential fight. The Brazilian lost an unanimous decision to Ruiz in 2015 and also has experience sparring the 24-year-old Parker.
Ruiz would be considered the underdog but Zambrano, who has also fought Anthony Joshua, Charles Martin, and several top heavyweights, leans in his direction to pull out the victory.
"I think that Ruiz would win that fight. Ruiz hits a lot harder than Parker. I have experience with them both. If the fight is in New Zealand it might be hard for Ruiz to get a decision and he may need a knockout but I think he is better," Zambrano told BoxingScene.com.
IN OTHER NEWS: A former Japanese champion professional boxer and a male friend have been arrested for allegedly assaulting another man in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro area.
According to police, the assault took place on Sept 18. Fuji TV reported that former pro boxing champion Teruyoshi Omagari, 41, and his friend Daigo Watanabe, 39, a company employee, were drinking alcohol in a park near JR Ikebukuro Station at around 10:10 p.m. The two then had an altercation with a 32-year-old Peruvian male acquaintance and proceeded to punch him in the face and stomp on his head. Police said the victim’s injuries will take about three weeks to heal.
Omagari, a Japanese boxing title-holder in 2005, was once referred to as the “Japanese Mike Tyson” by sports tabloids.
Police quoted him as saying he hit the Peruvian man, claiming, “He hit me first and, in the spur of the moment, I swung at him.”
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