At last he’s back - Andy Ruiz Jr has a confirmed next fight as the former unified world heavyweight king returns to the ring following a near two-year absence.
Inactivity has been an issue for the 34-year-old Californian - he’s been out just three times since that unforgettable night back in 2019 when he stopped Anthony Joshua to claim the IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight straps.
The fairytale for Ruiz Jr (35-2) was short-lived though - some six months later he would hand the belts back to Joshua after a hugely disappointing performance in their rematch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Since then all we have seen is two underwhelming decision victories over Chris Arreola in May 2021 and Luis Ortiz in September 2022.
Now Ruiz returns with a stern assignment against the man mountain that is Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller on the Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov undercard in Los Angeles on August 3.
Crossroads fight for Ruiz and Miller
It’s yet another big fight on a stellar heavyweight schedule, with the sport’s marquee weight class booming right now. Mainly thanks to all that Saudi investment in the last 12 months.
It’s very much a crossroads fight for both men - remember Miller has had his own problems too. It was he who indirectly handed Ruiz Jr his golden opportunity to stun Joshua back in 2019.
Miller had been slated to meet AJ on that massive night in the Big Apple, before failing multiple drug tests. In stepped Ruiz as a late stand-in, and the rest is now boxing history.
After feeling his way back into the sport against lesser opposition in 2022 and 2023, Miller stepped up to elite level again to face Britain’s Daniel Dubois on that massive ‘Day of Reckoning’ show in Riyadh in December.
Miller (now 26-1-1) would suffer a first professional defeat in that one via a late, late stoppage. But he again showed that his size and incredible chin make him a handful for anybody.
Ruiz Jr has been a mainstay in our heavyweight rankings in recent years - his fast hands and surprising power mean he is a danger man to all.
He would lose his spot in the top 10 recently due to inactivity, though an impressive showing against Miller would put him very much back in the title conversation.
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