By: Sean Crose
In what is to be a final eliminator to decide who will face the winner of the upcoming Tyson Fury-Derek Chisora threepeat, former WBC heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder has been ordered by the Council to face former WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titlist Andy Ruiz. The announcement came Wednesday at the WBC’s conference in Acapulco. This would prove to be an interesting and perhaps exciting fight as both men are looking to regain their former footing in the heavyweight division. It should also be a relatively easy match to make as Wilder and Ruiz fight under the same PBC banner. The bout, should it be signed, would most certainly be broadcast as a pay per view event.
Ruiz shocked a whole lot of people when he stopped Anthony Joshua in the multi-belt heavyweight titlist’s American debut at Madison Squared Garden in 2019. Employing a considerable amount of speed and finding the gumption to get off the mat gave the Mexican-American the win of a career. Unfortunately for Ruiz, he slacked off in between the first Joshua bout and their rematch around six months later. He ended up overweight and outclassed by Joshua the second time around, then took an extended amount of time away from the ring. With that in mind, Ruiz looked in better shape when he knocked out the talented Luis Ortiz earlier this year.
Wilder nearly needs no introduction. The man may well be the hardest hitter in heavyweight history. He’s dominated every man he’s ever met in the professional prize ring save for Tyson Fury. What’s more, Wilder’s return this fall after nearly a year away from the ring consisted of a thunderous, nearly frightening knockout of Robert Helenius in the very first round. Wilder, simply put, is one of the most entertaining fighters in the world. And in Ruiz, he’ll clearly meet a worthy opponent, one who might well pull off an upset. Provided, of course, that the two men agree to fight – which one would assume they will.