Deontay Wilder vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. | PPV - Who wins?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ruiz Open To Next Facing Wilder: We're Both In Same Organization, Haymon Can Make This Fight Happen

There was a six-month period where Andy Ruiz and Deontay Wilder held all of the heavyweight hardware.

Contractually bound plans for both stood in the way of a craved undisputed championship clash, though such a matchup is once again a hot button item even as they serve as ex-champions.

Ruiz helped initiate the conversation after scoring a twelve-round, unanimous decision win over Miami’s Luis Ortiz. Three knockdowns paved the way for the former unified heavyweight titlist to win by scores of 114-111, 114-111 and 113-112 atop a Fox Sports Pay-Per-View main event Sunday evening from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The feat came with Wilder in attendance, six weeks out from his own PPV headliner against Robert Helenius on October 15 in Brooklyn, New York. A win by the former long-reigning WBC heavyweight titlist could set up a blockbuster showdown in the first quarter of 2023.

“God willing, he wins (against) Robert in October, me and him are in the same organization,” Ruiz told Fox Sports’ Heidi Androl after earning his second straight win, pointing out their alliance with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC). “I want to thank Al Haymon. He can make this fight happen. Let’s do it.”

Ruiz (35-2, 22KOs) was never in position to pursue any other opportunity after an historic June 2019 title win over England’s Anthony Joshua in New York City. His accepting a late notice assignment against the unbeaten WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight titlist carried an automatic rematch clause, which Joshua exercised and gained revenge to regain his titles six months later in Saudi Arabia.

Wilder had just completed a repeat knockout of Ortiz (33-3, 28KOs) less than a month prior to Joshua-Ruiz II, racking up the tenth defense of a WBC title reign that would last five-plus years.

It ended in a seventh-round stoppage against Tyson Fury in their February 2020 rematch, completing an eight-month span that saw all the heavyweight belts shift from the U.S. to the U.K. Wilder suffered an eleventh-round knockout to Fury in their epic trilogy clash last October, as he will enter the bout with Helenius on the heels of a 53-week inactive stretch by opening bell.

A win will leave Wilder and Ruiz at one and two in the WBC rankings, and seemingly with a plan to next face each other while Fury negotiates an undisputed championship clash with unified titlist Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13KOs).

“Deontay Wilder’s back. He’s always looking for greatness,” Wilder said of such a fight. “That’s what he loves to give the fans. If that’s what’s lined up next—I gotta handle business but after that, we can get it on.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Assuming he beats Helinius.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Ruiz will have to come forward and back up wilder, counter when wilder explodes in those bursts of punches. I dont think he has the stamina

I dont see ruiz being able to win unless wilder is diminished from that fury beating.

[Enlightened-One]

Boxing fans are very reactionary.

People are saying on social media that “Andy Ruiz is done. He’s going to get destroyed by Wilder.”

I think the Deontay Wilder fight will be completely different. It won’t be like Andy’s bout against Luis Ortiz.

I think that Ruiz was struggling to get to grips with a southpaw.

Due to his right hand having to travel much further against the southpaw than would be the case with an orthodox fighter.

Also, even though Luis Ortiz has lost the Deontay Wilder twice, Ortiz is the better fighter technically than Wilder.

The Cuban has better balance; he’s better coordinated; he doesn’t lunge in as much with his shots; and he doesn’t make as many mistakes.

Therefore, Andy Ruiz had few opportunities to land his shots and counters against Ortiz.

And because of Ortiz’s southpaw stance, Ruiz couldn’t use his natural fighting style.

If Andy Ruiz was using his normal pressure fighting style, coming forward with squared-up shoulders and a high guard, he would have been hit with a lot more left-hands down the pipe.

So I think it was a strategic decision by Andy’s team to fight Ortiz the way he did, which is basically the typical way that most orthodox fighters fight against southpaws, a battle of the backhands.

I feel Ortiz’s style matchup was bad for Andy Ruiz. I think that Deontay Wilder is a better-style matchup for him.

I’m not saying that Ruiz beats Wilder. But I think he’ll apply a lot more pressure against Wilder than we saw against Ortiz.

I think he’ll have many more opportunities to counter against Wilder than he did against Ortiz, because the Cuban is technically better.

And it’s harder to draw mistakes out of Ortiz because he has a very good technical background.

Whereas with Wilder, you can easily draw mistakes due to the American telegraphing his punches more than Luis Ortiz.

So Ruiz can see when Wilder is about to throw something, because he cocks back his right hand like he’s about to throw a javelin or a shotput.

And a guy like Ruiz Jr will anticipate those shots being thrown and be able to block and counter or duck underneath and counter.

Therefore, I think Andy Ruiz will be very competitive against Wilder.

[Thomastearns]

Wilder was hoping Ortiz would win.

Now it's going to be difficult for him to avoid this fight.

Ruiz on the other hand is up for it.

So are the fans.

Difficult to say who wins but Ruiz is no pushover in a brawl, and I can't see Wilder outboxing him.

[oogiebe]

I might even pay to see it. Andy would give DW fits. Either guy could be stopped by the other.

[Perseus]

Wilder was hoping Ortiz would win.

Now it's going to be difficult for him to avoid this fight.

Ruiz on the other hand is up for it.

So are the fans.

Difficult to say who wins but Ruiz is no pushover in a brawl, and I can't see Wilder outboxing him.

Wilder can't outbox anybody.
When was the last time Wilder was actually the better boxer in the ring??

It's always the same with Wilder.
We know at some point Deontay will land that right hand.
An opponent who can take it will beat Wilder but so far there has only been one opponent that can deal with the Wilder right hand.

[margaret thatcher]

fury got dropped 4x by the right hand, it's not that he dealt with it, it's that he had the stuff to beat up wilder even better than wilder beat up him

if we are just talking who took the shots the best, duhaupas took a pounding for 11 and never even went down, he just wasnt good enough to do anything else

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Ruiz isn't hopeless he can counter and has quick hands.

He's just a fat slob so chances are he will lose against someone who is more of a professional than he is

[KiwiRider]

Assuming he beats Helinius.

yeah, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Prior to Fury, Helenius fit the bill as a prime Wilder future opponent.

[DrDuke]

Ruiz isn't hopeless he can counter and has quick hands.

He's just a fat slob so chances are he will lose against someone who is more of a professional than he is

Andy has quick hands, but he can easily be kept outside of his punching range. He's very slow on his feet and his head movement is zero-ish. Wilder will bash him out.

[Bandog]

Wilder has Helenius to deal with first. Not a lock, but one he should win.

As far as Wilder vs Ruiz, Wilder will deal with him via KO early to mid fight. Helenius is probably a tougher fight for him.

[Bandog]

Boxing fans are very reactionary.

People are saying on social media that “Andy Ruiz is done. He’s going to get destroyed by Wilder.”

I think the Deontay Wilder fight will be completely different. It won’t be like Andy’s bout against Luis Ortiz.

I think that Ruiz was struggling to get to grips with a southpaw.

Due to his right hand having to travel much further against the southpaw than would be the case with an orthodox fighter.

Also, even though Luis Ortiz has lost the Deontay Wilder twice, Ortiz is the better fighter technically than Wilder.

The Cuban has better balance; he’s better coordinated; he doesn’t lunge in as much with his shots; and he doesn’t make as many mistakes.

Therefore, Andy Ruiz had few opportunities to land his shots and counters against Ortiz.

And because of Ortiz’s southpaw stance, Ruiz couldn’t use his natural fighting style.

If Andy Ruiz was using his normal pressure fighting style, coming forward with squared-up shoulders and a high guard, he would have been hit with a lot more left-hands down the pipe.

So I think it was a strategic decision by Andy’s team to fight Ortiz the way he did, which is basically the typical way that most orthodox fighters fight against southpaws, a battle of the backhands.

I feel Ortiz’s style matchup was bad for Andy Ruiz. I think that Deontay Wilder is a better-style matchup for him.

I’m not saying that Ruiz beats Wilder. But I think he’ll apply a lot more pressure against Wilder than we saw against Ortiz.

I think he’ll have many more opportunities to counter against Wilder than he did against Ortiz, because the Cuban is technically better.

And it’s harder to draw mistakes out of Ortiz because he has a very good technical background.

Whereas with Wilder, you can easily draw mistakes due to the American telegraphing his punches more than Luis Ortiz.

So Ruiz can see when Wilder is about to throw something, because he cocks back his right hand like he’s about to throw a javelin or a shotput.

And a guy like Ruiz Jr will anticipate those shots being thrown and be able to block and counter or duck underneath and counter.

Therefore, I think Andy Ruiz will be very competitive against Wilder.

What was his excuse struggling with Arreola? Bad style matchup too, or too young?

[tiny_acres]

If Ruiz looked like crap against Arreola and struggled with an ancient Ortiz. I do not see
him beating Wilder if Wilder still has his power.
One punch with Wilder changes the entire fight. I pick Wilder by 5th round stoppage.

[Thomastearns]

Wilder was hoping Ortiz would win.

Now it's going to be difficult for him to avoid this fight.

Ruiz on the other hand is up for it.

So are the fans.

Difficult to say who wins but Ruiz is no pushover in a brawl, and I can't see Wilder outboxing him.

Wilder can't outbox anybody.
When was the last time Wilder was actually the better boxer in the ring??

It's always the same with Wilder.
We know at some point Deontay will land that right hand.
An opponent who can take it will beat Wilder but so far there has only been one opponent that can deal with the Wilder right hand.

Apparently, it's already in the pipeline for early next year, assuming that Helenius plays his expected role against Wilder in 5 weeks time.

A few years back there was some speculation whether Wilder might improve his boxing skills.

Not any more.

Ruiz's has a strange style but his chin is pretty solid. If Wilder can't knock him out, then the reverse is likely.

Wilder is known for his power, but it's telling that he wasn't able to seriously hurt Fury in 3 fights.

It's almost as if it's more a question of speed rather than sheer power that stuns Wilder's opponents. As long as they see the punches coming they seem to have less effect.

Wilder is perhaps more Tommy Hearns than Ernie Shavers.

[margaret thatcher]

wilder didn't seriously hurt fury? da f@k you smoking my man

[tiny_acres]

wilder didn't seriously hurt fury? da f@k you smoking my man

[Counter-puncher]

wilder didn't seriously hurt fury? da f@k you smoking my man

TommyT has one of those 'things' with Wilder. Not sure what or why, I just know its one of his things, like you know that candyslim dude who really, really lost his perspective on Deontay?

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Has wilder knocked down or stopped everyone he has faced?

[DrDuke]

Has wilder knocked down or stopped everyone he has faced?

Yes, he has.

[margaret thatcher]

i think duhaupas was the only guy he didnt drop, though havent seen all of his earliest fights. stiverne technically wasnt dropped or stopped the first time though obviously got crushed in the rematch.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Haha!

What a joke!!!

[margaret thatcher]

what's a joke about it, the winner of that mini tourny will have legit earned a shot. i was half expecting them to just straight up put the belt on the line for wilder-helenius

fury-usyk (or even aj for the money involved) go beyond mandatories now anyway

[H8Usernames]

Wilder vs Ruiz doesn't sound like an entertaining bout really.

Ruiz should go after Dillian Whyte.

Wilder should hmmm, maybe fight that dude who beat that Tony Yoka guy.

[Tony1244]

Whyte usually fights a close decision against contenders. Ruiz-Whyte would work better than zzzquil as a sleep aid.

With Wilder, you are likely getting a KO regardless of who wins. Infinitely a better fight than Dillon Whyte.