On fight night, both fighters were warmly received by the crowd. Counterpunch and bring those hands back.”īut a fighter doesn’t learn new defensive skills in a six-week training camp at age forty. “That’s one thing we emphasised in this camp. “I’ve worked nonstop on defense with Joe ,” he said when asked what would be different about this fight. “But I’m a lot better than where I was.”Īrreola came in at a career low of 228 1/2lbs. “I’m not where I want to be at right now,” he said at the final pre-fight press conference. Presumably, he didn’t just lose weight but also added muscle. Ruiz weighed in at 256lbs, 27 1/2pounds less than for the Joshua rematch. For all the wars that Arreola has been through over the years, he has never beaten a world-class opponent. Ruiz-Arreola was contested at Dignity Health Sports Park in California as part of a FOX-PPV telecast and distributed in multiple markets by FITE. There was a lot of talk during the pre-fight build-up about “the new Andy” and the difference that training with Eddy Reynoso would make in his ring skills and conditioning. He was the guy that Haymon was safeguarding. Once upon a time, Arreola was A-side in fights that Premier Boxing Champions impresario Al Haymon made for him. I put my whole self out there every time I fight.” That’s all the more reason to be concerned about his continuing to fight. Unlike many fighters, Arreola means it when he says, “I bleed boxing. According to CompuBox, Kownacki hit Arreola in the head 291 times (out of 369 punches that Adam landed). Most recently, on August 3, 2019, he’d lost a unanimous decision to Adam Kownacki in a slugfest that brought his record to 38-6-1 (33). FOX Sports/PBCĭuring the nine years leading up to Ruiz-Arreola, Chris had 10 fights and won four of them. Once upon a time, he was a very good fighter. He has challenged for a version of the world heavyweight title on three occasions – against Vitali Klitschko, Bermane Stiverne, and Deontay Wilder. Was Ruiz a one-night wonder? On May 1, in a fight that fell short of answering that question, he returned to the ring for the first time since losing to Joshua to fight 40-year-old Chris Arreola.Īrreola is one of the most likeable people in boxing. I look back right now, and I’m like, ‘Damn, man,’ if I would’ve stayed dedicated, if I would’ve stayed disciplined and do the right things that I was supposed to do.” I started doing things that I thought I would never be able to do. And once that moment happened, I went a little off the road. I’d been waiting for this moment my whole life. “I was mad at myself because I knew I should have trained.

“I was depressed,” Ruiz acknowledged later.

In the ensuing weeks, he put on another 27 pounds to reach the 310 mark. Six months later in Saudia Arabia, weighing 283 pounds, he was outboxed by Joshua over 12 dreary rounds. But rather than build on his success, the 268-pound Ruiz ate more and trained less. On June 1, 2019, he scored a shocking knockout upset over Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden to claim the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles. THIRTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD Andy Ruiz labored in obscurity for most of his ring career, plagued by a poor work ethic and a prodigious appetite.

Andy ruiz fight may 1