Andy Ruiz Jr can’t wait to show his improvements on May 1st

By Boxing News - 04/24/2021 - Comments

By Brad Slotnick: Andy Ruiz Jr believes he’s made an incredible transformation in his skills and talent since replacing his former trainer Manny Robles in favor of Eddy Reynoso, and he can’t wait to show the fans his improvements against Chris Arreola on May 1st.

Ruiz (33-2, 22 KOs) is making his first step towards regaining his lost IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight titles when he faces Arreola (38-6-1, 33 KOs) in the main event on FOX Sports PBC pay-per-view at the Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California.

Ruiz has lost close to 70 lbs, losing most of it on his own working out before he began his training camp with Reynoso. Last week, the 31-year-old Ruiz reported that he planned on weighing 255 lbs for the fight against the 40-year-old Arreola.

Ruiz says he’s learned many different things since starting his first training camp with Reynoso, and he believes they’re going to help him.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a young enough or talented enough opponent to show the boxing world whether Ruiz has truly improved or if this is just wishful thinking on his part.

It is positive that Ruiz has dropped his weight down to 255 lbs, as he was much too heavy in his last fight against Anthony Joshua in December 2019. Ruiz weighed 283 lbs for that fight, and he was too fat to chase Joshua around the ring.

Image: Andy Ruiz Jr can't wait to show his improvements on May 1st

Ruiz has been at 255 lbs before and LOST to Joseph Parker in 2016, so no guarantee being lighter will turn him into a world champion again. Also, Ruiz would likely have little problems beating 40-year-old Arreola even at 283 or 297, which is the weight he weighed for his pro debut in 2009.

“I chose Eddy because this is where the champions train,” said Ruiz. “Everyone here is dedicated and disciplined. I felt like I needed to make this change, and it’s really something that I should have done a long time ago.”

This isn’t the first time that Ruiz has dumped a trainer believing that things would be better for him with a different coach. He was Abel Sanchez in the past, and he moved from him to Manny Robles.

Sanchez trained Ruiz for his fight with Parker, which he lost. Parker used movement and then outworked a tired Ruiz in the second half of the contest.

Reynoso is a good trainer, but he’s not going to improve Ruiz’s slow feet, and he won’t be able to do much for him when he gasses in the later rounds against A-level opposition.

With that said, we probably won’t see Ruiz’s flaws brought to light against Arreola because he’s more a C-level heavyweight at this point in his career, and he hasn’t fought in two years.

Chris’s inactivity likely helped him get the fight because the last thing Ruiz’s management wants is to put him in with an active heavyweight that is sharp.

Ruiz has been enjoying the millions that he made from his two fights with Anthony Joshua, and he’d let himself go until recently. It took Ruiz two years to get back in the ring after his loss to Joshua in December 2019.

“I’ve learned different abilities that I can do during this training camp,” said Ruiz. “I can throw different punches and combinations fighting at this weight. I was always a fighter who could come forward, but now I can switch it up. I can’t wait to show it on May 1.”

It’s hard to believe Ruiz has learned how to throw different punches because he comes from a good amateur background. Surely, Ruiz has been taught every kind of punch that can be thrown by this point in his career.

Image: Andy Ruiz Jr can't wait to show his improvements on May 1st

Other fights on the Ruiz vs. Arreola card on May 1st:

  • Sebastian Fundora vs. Jorge Cota – junior middleweights – 10 rounds
  • Erislandy Lara vs. Thomas Lamanna – vacant WBA [regular] 154-lb title
  • Omar Figuerora Jr vs. Abel Ramos – welterweights – 12 rounds
  • Jesus Alejandro Ramos vs. Javier Molina – welterweights – 10 rounds
  • Adrian Granados vs. Jose Luis Sanchez – welterweights -8 rounds