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“I Don’t Think Usyk Knows…”: Andy Ruiz Jr Remains Brutally Honest While Contemplating Tyson Fury VS Oleksandr Usyk

Published 10/15/2023, 11:29 AM EDT

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After a long back-and-forth, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will finally face each other in the heavyweight class. It may happen in December or January. The fight will mark the historic unification of all titles in the heavyweight class. Earlier, negotiations for a fight between them had fallen through, nudging both of them to seek other fights.

While the Ukrainian fighter won against Daniel Dubois in August this year, Fury is set to face off against former UFC champ, Francis Ngannou on the 28th of October in an exhibition fight. Now with the Fury-Usyk fight finally back on track, folks have begun predicting the outcomes of the clash. One of them is the heavyweight fighter, Andy Ruiz Jr.

Andy Ruiz Jr. makes his pick among Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

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Most folks believe that Tyson Fury has a clear advantage over Usyk, in regards to Fury’s height, weight, and long reach. Ruiz holds a similar opinion. The heavyweight fighter has picked Tyson Fury as his favorite for the early predictions. He said, “I think for me in my eyes, Tyson Fury could win. He has more skills, more ability. I don’t think Usyk knows how to pressure, throw those combinations. Get close to him, smother him, rabbit punches, all that. But if I fight him, I’m going to be able to do that. A lot of people don’t realize when you fight… when tall guys fight shorter guys, it’s hard. Especially when they move around, it’s hard to hit them, especially they leave themselves open.”

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Ruiz was set to face Fury earlier this year. However, the British boxer and his representatives alleged that Ruiz demanded a massive fee during the negotiation process. As a result, the negotiations fell through. Deontay Wilder’s team also made a similar claim against ‘The Destroyer.’ However, Ruiz has denied the claims. And in turn, said that it was Wilder who was seeking an excessive payout.

Andy Ruiz Jr. wants to reopen Deontay Wilder Negotiations

Andy Ruiz Jr. is pushing for Deontay Wilder to reopen discussions regarding a potential heavyweight showdown. Ruiz’s WBC ranking plummeted from second place to fifth owing to the failed negotiations with Wilder last year. The WBC pushed for a new contender in order to have a mandated challenge against Tyson Fury. However, it got complicated with Wilder’s position within the WBC, rooted in his five-year title reign.

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Furthermore, the WBC’s official ruling deadline is swiftly approaching in November. This pushes for a rapid decision regarding Wilder’s next opponent. To solve this conundrum, the WBC pushed Anthony Joshua to the second position following his arduous victory over Robert Helenius. This decision was furthered by discussions between Joshua and Wilder, making Joshua a suitable choice for the ‘Bronze Bomber.’

Now that the negotiations between Joshua and Wilder have also failed to materialize, Ruiz has reemerged as a potential contender. The WBC’s willingness to reconsider its decision to exclude the former unified champion from contention remains uncertain.

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Do you think Ruiz should get his fight against Wilder? Let us know in the comments section below.

Watch This Story: Everything We Know About Anthony Joshua Vs Deontay Wilder As Of Now

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Written by:

Mohammed Shafiulla

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Mohammed Shafiulla is a Boxing Writer at EssentiallySports. With a background as a freelance journalist, he has covered a wide array of subjects before finding his niche at ES. Armed with a double major in journalism and literature, he brings a unique and insightful perspective to the sport of Boxing, highlighting its rich history and enduring appeal.
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Edited by:

Gokul Pillai