Andy Ruiz Jr. shocked the world when he knocked out Anthony Joshua in their original contest in July 2019 to become the unified heavyweight champion.

He entered the ring as an underdog on a high margin, but departed with the golden belts around his waist. However, he lost them in the rematch in December and has been inactive since then. This huge-layoff can eventually affect his upcoming fights. At least that’s what his former trainer Manny Robles believes.

Robles had trained Andy Ruiz Jr. for the championship victory against Joshua. Although he is no longer the Mexican’s guide, Robles believes he can become the champion again. The veteran trainer connected with Against The Ropes Podcast to shed light o Ruiz Jr.’s inactivity and his chances of donning the world titles in the future.

He said, “The thing is he (Andy Ruiz Jr.) has got to fight. If he is not fighting, then it’s hard, it’s hard to give an opinion. He is already going on a year on not fighting, and the worst thing that you can do to a fighter is not keep him busy. You know, time doesn’t forgive.”

Robles continued, “Everything catches up to you. If you are not busy, if you are not fighting, if you are not in the gym, then it’s hard. It’s hard to say, but I definitely believe that Andy has the goods to become a champion. But he has gotta want it.”

While Ruiz Jr. continues to stay away from the headlines, here’s what’s next for him.

Andy Ruiz Jr.–The upcoming journey

‘The Destroyer’ boasts of a pro record of 33 wins and 2 losses. He is an elite heavyweight who has never been knocked out in his professional career.

He has also been a world champion and is already in the history books for registering one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight boxing. Although his last fight against Joshua doomed him back to the losing side, Ruiz Jr. is still relevant in the title competition.

He wants to face Dillian Whyte. Furthermore, like almost every other heavyweight contender, he is just one win away from bagging another title shot. If he gets the victory, we can see ‘The Destroyer’ rise back to the status of title challenger soon.