'He’s Big And He’s Awkward But So Am I, So I Am' - Andy Ruiz Believes He Can Beat Tyson Fury
Andy Ruiz is still in the process of rebuilding his career after losing his unified world titles to Anthony Joshua in 2019. However, he believes he has what it takes to defeat Tyson Fury if given the opportunity by the WBC. Ruiz held the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles for a brief period after his unexpected victory over Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden in June 2019. Their rematch in Jeddah in December saw him struggle with weight issues and ultimately being outboxed by a disciplined Joshua. Ruiz claims to have fought in two eliminators for the WBC belt, securing unanimous points wins over Chris Arreola in May 2021 and Luis Ortiz in September 2022. He was gearing up for a third eliminator against Deontay Wilder, although negotiations have been slow, and the WBC has since withdrawn the order for the fight. Speaking to Make a Move, Ruiz expressed his desire to fight Tyson Fury in Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium. He also appealed to WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán for the opportunity, saying:
“I would love to fight Tyson Fury in Mexico at the Azteca Stadium but please I need [WBC president Mauricio] Sulaimán please to give me the opportunity man, give me the opportunity, I have a big feeling and a big chance that I’m going to win against Tyson Fury.”When asked about dealing with Fury's size, Ruiz remained confident, stating:
“Yeah, he’s big and he’s awkward but so am I, so I am. I’m smart and fast and awkward too, so best believe I can win this fight and I’m going to win it if I get the opportunity.”It would indeed be intriguing to witness how Fury would handle the shorter stature and fast hands of Ruiz, provided that Fury successfully navigates his upcoming challenge against MMA star Francis Ngannou on October 28, a matchup many in the sport consider a mismatch.
