Fans have no doubt heard by now how former heavyweight champ Andy Ruiz – who last night scored a close but unanimous decision win over Luis Ortiz – very much wants to fight fellow former heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilder next. Ruiz, who got himself into good shape for the Ortiz fight (good, but could still be better) and scored three knockdowns with his fast hands (maybe the fastest in the division today), says a fight between he and Wilder would be pretty easy to make, as they both fight for Al Haymon.
“God willing, he wins against Robert [Helenius] in October, me and him are in the same organisation,” a victorious Ruiz told Fox Sports last night. “I want to thank Al Haymon. He can make this fight happen. Let’s do it. Let’s get it on.”
And Wilder has expressed interest in facing Ruiz, as he said in speaking with the media.
“Deontay Wilder is back. We’re always looking for great exciting fights we can give to the fans,” he said. “So is that’s what’s lined up next, I’ve got to handle business and after that, we can get it on.”
So, who wins if Wilder and Ruiz do get it on?
We have yet to see how much those wars with Tyson Fury took out of Wilder, and we may or may not get any kind of an answer in the Helenius fight on October 15. But Wilder, even if he is, to use the unkind term, ‘damaged goods,’ will always have that sheer, raw punching power. And Ruiz is not that hard to hit. Then again, Ruiz, 35-2(22) has never been stopped, he can take a shot. Ruiz, younger than Wilder by four years, also has faster hands than Wilder, while plenty would say “The Destroyer” is also blessed with a better ring IQ than “The Bronze Bomber.”
It’s a fascinating fight, one of quite a few that can be made in today’s heavyweight division. Again, we must wait and see how Wilder, 42-2-1(41) looks against the tall and dangerous Helenius, but should he come through that one okay – and unless Ruiz bags himself another big fight; he still wants that trilogy fight with AJ – it could be Wilder Vs. Ruiz (who do you see as the A-side here?) early next year some time.
