Andy Ruiz Jr vs. Chris Arreola – Fox PPV card filling out for April 24th

By Boxing News - 03/05/2021 - Comments

By Dan Ambrose: Next month’s Andy Ruiz Jr vs. Chris Arreola card on FOX pay-per-view is filling out quickly for April 24th. It’s an odd fight for the main event, but the organizers are beefing up the undercard to make it worthwhile to order on PPV.

Although boxing fans on social media have been grumbling since the news of the Ruiz-Arreola fight came out, it’s not quite as bad with the undercard fights being revealed.

According to Mike Coppinger, these some of the fights being added to the Ruiz vs. Areola card:

  • Jesus Ramos vs. Javier Molina
  • Omar Figueroa vs. Abel Ramos
  • Sebastian Fundora vs. Jorge Cota

These are decent fights, but the card still needs a big match to motivate fans to purchase this on PPV. Hardcore boxing fans know the fighters above, but not by the casuals.

Welterweight prospect Jesus Ramos (15-0, 14 KOs) is someone to keep an eye on because he’s got a lot of talent, and he’s got excellent punching power. He’s taking on 2008 Olympian Javier Molina (22-3, 9 KOs) on the card.

Image: Andy Ruiz Jr vs. Chris Arreola - Fox PPV card filling out for April 24th

Molina, 31, is someone that many boxing fans would win world titles and make huge waves when he turned professional in 2009.

Unfortunately, Molina’s career hasn’t gone anywhere, as he’s lost to Artemio Reyes, Jose Pedraza, and Jamal James.

Molina now finds himself the opponent for the young 19-year-old prospect Jesus Ramos on the Ruiz vs. Arreola card. You can guess how this fight is likely to end.

The 6’5 1/2″ junior middleweight contender Sebastian ‘Towering Inferno’ Fundora (16-0-1, 11 KOs) will be taking on the heavy-handed Jorge Cota (34-3, 27 KOs) in a fight that should produce fireworks.

Cota is known for his fights that he lost to Jermell Charlo, Erickson Lubin, and Jeison Rosario. He has a lot of punching power, and he’ll make it interesting for as long as he lasts against Fundora. With Cota’s punching power, you can’t rule out the possibility of a rematch.

Fundora, 23, has looked good lately in stopping Nathaniel Gallimore and Habib Ahmed in his last two fights. Boxing fans would like to see Fundora fight a rematch with Jamantay Clark, who held him to a 10 round draw in 2019. I guess that’s too much to ask.

Former WBC lightweight champion Omar Figueroa (28-1-1, 19 KOs) will be taking on the tough Abel Ramos (26-4-2, 20 KOs) in what might be the best fight on the card thus far.

Figueroa, 31, hasn’t fought in close two years since his 12 round decision loss to Yordenis Ugas in July 2019.

That was obviously a bitter pill for Figueroa to swallow, as he was knocked down by the Cuban and dominated in losing by the scores: 119-107, 119-107, and 119-107.

The fight against Ugas was a step too far for Figueroa, as he hit the ceiling of his potential. Figueroa is more suited to the 135-lb division than at 147, and we saw that clearly when he fought Ugas and lost.

What Ugas showed is that Figueroa isn’t cut out to be a top-five welterweight. He’s a good fighter, but he doesn’t have the natural size and power to beat the best at 147.

Image: Andy Ruiz Jr vs. Chris Arreola - Fox PPV card filling out for April 24th

Figueroa has notable wins over these fighters:

  • Robert ‘The Ghost’ Guerrero
  • Ricky Burns
  • Nihito Arakawa
  • Daniel Estrada
  • Jerry Belmontes
  • John Molina
  • Antonio DeMarco
  • Abner Cotto