Andy Ruiz Jr. set a goal after losing his heavyweight titles to Anthony Joshua more than a year and a half ago in Saudi Arabia. He was on a quest to lose weight and sought the help of super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and trainer Eddie Reynoso.
Saturday night, the first step was successful after Ruiz won a unanimous decision over fellow Mexican heavyweight Chris Arreola.
I will be the first to admit Chris Arreola and Andy Ruiz Jr. was not a heavyweight fight good enough for Pay-Per-View.
Well, was l wrong. I am sure that many who purchased the fight felt they got more than they expected because it turned out to be one of the best heavyweight fights of the year.
Saturday night at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson California, Ruiz and Arreola stepped into the ring with something to fight for.
It was Ruiz in the tenth round. He jabbed, mixed his punches. Arreola seemed to be hurt from those punches that affected his arm. Ruiz, though, stayed with a plan as blood ran down his nose. Arreola continued to make his case.
Meghan Markle’s First Children’s Book About Bond Between Father’s and Sons
All that remained was the suspense. Ruiz Jr. got the deserved unanimous decision win and will be in discussions again with an opportunity to become a two-time heavyweight champion from Mexico.
Arreola, though, deserved better than two judges’ scorecards of 118-109. Arreola deserved more than one round and that’s difficult to comprehend after the knockdown.
I would criticize Arreola over the years for a foul mouth after his outcomes that were good or bad. But not this time. Arreola admitted he lost. “I respect the judges, but l guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” he began. “He (Ruiz) might have won, but don’t tell me l only won one round. He never put me in danger. It’s dejecting to not get the respect from the judges that l feel l deserve.”
Countered Ruiz, “we did what we had to do. Thank God we got this victory and on to the next.”
Another fight for these two Mexican heavyweights may not be the answer. Though, I am sure more would buy into a rematch.
Arreola, in the meantime, can continue his quest again to become a champion and by all means his stock went up. For Ruiz Jr., there is definitely another opportunity that will come.
But with this heavyweight division there is more focus on Tyson Fury, Joshua, and Deontay Wilder. A trilogy with Wilder and Fury is not close and that could open the door for a Wilder-Ruiz Jr. fight.
Regardless, there are any number of ranked heavyweights that could be in line for Andy Ruiz Jr. and that will be in the hands of promoters that have a stake in all of this.
First, the assumption is Bob Arum will continue in attempts to please Fury the WBC heavyweight champion in a goal to finally unify the titles against Joshua. There reportedly is a record site fee of $150 million to stage a Fury-Josuha fight in Saudi Arabia.
Arum has said nothing is finalized for Fury-Joshua as he continues discussions with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom that promote Joshua.
But Saturday night, unexpectedly, we got that outstanding heavyweight fight. And, yes, I want to see more of Andy Ruiz Jr. and Chris Arreola. Perhaps a rematch or with other opponents and leave the incompetent ringside judges at home.
The heavyweight division has momentum. It got more interesting after the Arreola, Ruiz jr fight. That’s the way it should be.
Editor’s Note: Rich Mancuso is Senior Columnist for Latino Sports www.latinosports.com
Recent Comments