Luis “King Kong” Ortiz, the heavyweight contender, predicts a resounding victory for Deontay Wilder if a match against former WBC heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr materializes this summer. Wilder, in need of a tune-up opponent, is offering Ruiz a second chance to recover from the downturn in his career due to a lack of consistent training and activity in the past four years. A win against Wilder could set the stage for Ruiz to potentially fight Anthony Joshua in a trilogy fight in Saudi Arabia in December.
Ruiz has been pushing for a third bout against Joshua since his loss in December 2019. However, his reluctance to face high-level opposition since that defeat has stalled any progress in arranging the rematch. Ortiz voiced his opinion on the potential Wilder-Ruiz faceoff in a recent interview with Blue Blood Sports TV. “He’ll kill Andy Ruiz. Andy Ruiz, we need the rematch. I loved that fight, but Deontay has a strong heart; he’s like me. He wants the belts, and I want the belts, too.”
Indeed, Wilder possesses the knockout power to finish Ruiz, given the chance to land a significant blow, as evidenced in his last fight against Robert Helenius last October. Conversely, Ruiz also has the power to knock out Wilder if he lands his shots. Tyson Fury, a less formidable puncher, managed to stop Wilder twice, indicating that Ruiz could potentially do it more cleanly.
However, if Ruiz overprices himself for the fight, it could be detrimental to his career's resurrection and his chances of earning substantial sums in potential battles against high-profile boxers like Joshua and Fury. Ruiz’s career has been on a slippery slope, marred by inactivity and a loss to Joshua. Wilder's willingness to give Ruiz a chance to revive his career is commendable. Still, Ruiz must grasp his current situation and realize that he is not in a position to demand massive payouts for his fights. Otherwise, he may miss out on this potentially career-reviving opportunity.
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