Heavyweight boxer Andy Ruiz embodied everything about the word ‘heavyweight’ when he came in at 283lbs, which was 15lbs heavier for his rematch against Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia. It made him the second-heaviest defending champion in heavyweight history, behind Russian Nikolai Valuev.
Those days appear to be over as the former IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO World Heavyweight Champion has lost 25 pounds and is getting set to make a return to the ring. Ruiz hasn’t fought since that December 7th, 2019 fight against Anthony Joshua. During the post-fight presser, he knew he had to make a change.
“Me, my dad, and my team were talking … I should have listened to them. I think we started [training] too late. Three months of partying, celebrating, affected me. What can I say? I shouldn’t have put on all this weight.
“I tried to do my kind of training on my own and I’m sorry to Manny [Robles], my dad, I got too confident in myself. I know for the third one I’m going to be a lot better. There’s a lot of responsibility being a champion of the world. I think the partying and all that stuff got the best of me. Next time it’ll be a lot better.”
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This is how he looked during his loss 14 months ago:
“His weight has gone down 25-pounds,” his trainer, Jorge Capetillo, told Boxing Scene earlier this month.
“He looks very slim. He doesn’t want to show up to Reynoso looking rough.”
Last month, Ruiz admitted he hopes to have a third and final fight with Joshua having won the first and lost the rematch.
“I’d like to fight the rematch again, the third fight with Anthony Joshua, and either between Wilder and Tyson Fury.
“Nobody thought I’d be champion of the world with the way I looked.
“I want to get back at it and be the man I’m supposed to be.
“And I don’t have a fight date yet, but I’m for sure going to fight this year.
“I just want to be in shape and show everybody… this little chubby boy is going to look good.”
