Last weekend, Andy Ruiz proved he is still one of the best heavyweights in the world by defeating Chris Arreola over twelve rounds. This sets the former champion up for a massive fight later this year. Many fans and analysts now believe this is the perfect time to book the Ruiz vs. Wilder fight.
Deontay Wilder still hasn’t competed since a TKO loss to Tyson Fury last year. Fans have been eager to see him back in the ring. Today, we’ll discuss when and where a fight between Ruiz and Wilder could come together.
Let’s get into it!
Andy Ruiz Survives Knockdown to Defeat Chris Arreola
Back in June of 2019, Andy Ruiz pulled off one of the most incredible upsets in the history of boxing. It was that month that he took on Anthony Joshua on short notice. Many felt that Andy was nothing more than a sacrificial lamb heading into this matchup.
To the surprise of everyone, Ruiz ended up finishing Joshua in the 7th round. These two men competed in a rematch six months later. This time, Ruiz came in extremely overweight and lost a lackluster unanimous decision.
Ruiz finally returned to the sport last weekend. He took on Chris Arreola, a tough veteran of the boxing game with wins over several elite fighters. The majority of online sports betting sites had Andy listed as the favorite heading into fight night. Early on in the bout, Arreola landed a massive overhand right on Ruiz that sent him to the canvas.
Andy took several other hard shots throughout the fight, but continued to pressure Arreola and landed hard combinations of his own. He started to take over as the rounds progressed. In the end, he was declared the winner via unanimous decision.
This win proved Andy is still an elite heavyweight fighter. It also shut down many of his naysayers that claimed his time in the sport was coming to an end. Now, fans are looking ahead at possible opponents for Ruiz to face later this year.
Several names are being floated around. One, in particular, has many boxing fans around the world intrigued.
The Ruiz vs. Wilder Fight Needs to Take Place This Year
The heavyweight boxing scene continues to get better every year. There are a huge number of exciting matchups that are possible to take place this year. The biggest is likely the one between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
These two men are said to have agreed to a two-fight deal. Their first bout is expected to take place sometime this summer. Both of these champions have massive followings and are expected to break records with their fights this year.
A growing number of fans are now pushing to see Andy Ruiz and Deontay Wilder competing this year, too. Both of these fighters are near the top of the heavyweight rankings. A win for either man could set them up to face the winner of the Fury-Joshua clash.
Of course, booking the Ruiz vs. Wilder fight won’t be easy. It’s always difficult for promoters to get the best boxers to face one another. If enough money is on the line, however, it’s certainly a possibility to take place this year. Eddie Hearn, CEO of Matchroom Boxing, spoke about this possible fight to the media this week.
“I’d love to see him fight Deontay Wilder. I think that’s a tremendous fight, that would be great,” Hearn said. “I saw bits of pieces. I saw the knockdown. I also saw the fights in the crowd. Wow. Andy Ruiz is a great fighter. He’s been out a long time, he’s also lost a lot of weight. I think this is going to take him a long time to get used to that.”
Deontay Wilder finally seems eager to return. It’s still unclear who he will fight first in his comeback. We’ll be sure to offer updates on a possible fight with Ruiz over the next few months!
Canelo vs. Saunders is Just a Few Days Away
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is now considered by most to be the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet. He has accumulated a 55-1-2 record as a professional and has won belts across several different weight classes. On May 8, he will be taking on Billy Joe Saunders in Arlington, Texas.
Saunders is a very talented fighter based out of the UK. He is 30-0 in his career and has some of the best defensive skills in the sport. There are some that feel he will end up pulling off the upset against Canelo this weekend.
Bovada is the best site to bet on this fight! This online sportsbook launched in 2011 and has grown to become the most popular betting website in the US. It’s offering some fantastic wagering options for the big fight on Saturday.
Canelo Alvarez comes into this fight as the -800 favorite. He hasn’t lost since 2013 and seems to be in the prime of his career right now. A growing number of fans believe that Canelo will end up scoring a knockout over Saunders in this bout.
It won’t be easy to catch Billy Joe, who is listed as the +500 underdog in this clash. His wins over fighters like David Lemieux and Chris Eubank Jr. proved how good Saunders really is. Some believe his best opportunity to win is via decision.
Do you think we will see the Ruiz vs. Wilder fight in 2021? If so, who do you think wins? Let us know in the comments section below.
