Andy Ruiz Jr. can become world champion again – Evander Holyfield

By Boxing News - 12/29/2019 - Comments

By Aragon Garcia: Evander Holyfield believes that Andy Ruiz Jr. can come back from his loss to Anthony Joshua, and win another heavyweight world title. Holyfield believes in Ruiz’s ability to correct the mistakes he made in his loss to Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) on December 7 in Saudi Arabia. Ruiz ate his way to ruin by gaining too much weight, not training hard enough, and giving away his belts.

The former two division world champion Holyfield is well familiar with former IBF/WBA/wbo champion Ruiz Jr. (33-2, 22 KOs) after using him for sparring held eight years ago in 2011. Little did Holyfield know at the time that Ruiz would one day become a three-beld world champion, and pull off one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history in unseating Joshua from his perch at the top of the division.

Ruiz exposed Joshua to the world in showing that he wasn’t the fighter that his promoter Eddie Hearn had been telling the boxing public he was. Joshua was still the same fighter that won a controversial gold medal in the 2012 Olympics in barely beating Erislandy Savon, Roberto Cammarelle and Ivan Dychko.

Holyfield: Andy Ruiz can become champion again

“Of course, it’s possible. Joshua became champion again, right?’ said Holyfield to TMZ Sport when asked if Ruiz Jr. can become heavyweight champion again. “He made an adjustment. People who make adjustments, their chances are still good. He’s young, and he has the chance to still do it.

“He made some bad choices. When you make bad choices, you gotta be accountable. If you’re accountable, you can make adjustments. Go back to the work plan. Do what your daddy told you to do. All these years he’s been right. What makes you think he’s going to be wrong?” said Holyfield of Ruiz.

Holyfield could be proven right. All Ruiz Jr. needs is the hunger that he had for his first fight against Joshua last June, and he could march his way through the division to win back his titles. The Ruiz Jr. that fought that night was a devastating puncher, capable of throwing combinations with speed and power.

That version of Ruiz would have easily cut off the ring against Joshua in their rematch, and taken him out in a blaze of fire. Joshua was just basically running from Ruiz in the rematch, and hugging him when he would get close. It was an awful exhibition of fighting for the world champion, but it shows how damaged he is mentally.

Hearn wants Ruiz to fight Dillian Whyte

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is offering Ruiz a path to rebuild and eventually meet up with Joshua in a trilogy fight, but it involves Andy fighting Dillian Whyte. That’s one of Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing stable fighters that he’s failed to set-up in big fights since he started promoting him. If Ruiz takes the fight with Whyte, he could put himself in a strong position to fight for a world title, as long as he wins.

A fight involving Whyte would almost surely require Ruiz to fight him in London, England, and it could be a rough fight. Whyte sometimes roughs up his opponents, and it could end up looking a bar room brawl by the time the fight ends.

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