VIDEO: A Young Andy Ruiz Jr. Names His Favorite Boxers

Published 02/07/2021, 9:25 AM EST

Andy Ruiz Jr. was never a household name for the boxing fans until he knocked out Anthony Joshua in 2019 to become the first-ever Mexican heavyweight world champion. However, he had already cemented his place amongst the elites with an undefeated run of 29 fights until he faced his maiden pro defeat in 2016 against Joseph Parker. That said, Ruiz Jr. had idolized Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. as two of his most favorite boxers.

Ten years ago, when no one envisioned a fight between Tyson and Roy Jones Jr, ‘The Destroyer’ had envisioned Tyson to struggle in the matchup. Although it didn’t happen in real, Andy Ruiz Jr. still posed his opinion on the fight.

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Hailing his favorite punchers, Ruiz Jr. said, “I like Mike Tyson and Roy Jones. Roy Jones- I liked how he moves a lot, how he is fast.”

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When asked to predict a fight between Tyson and Roy Jones Jr, he added, “I don’t know Tyson is a little old already.”

It made sense because Roy Jones Jr. was still active back then and Tyson had already hung his gloves. But 10 years since then, Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. locked horns to produce a different outcome. Although the fight was ruled as a draw, Tyson still dominated Roy Jones Jr. and surprised a bunch of fans. They also received WBC belts after the fight.

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Meanwhile, Andy Ruiz Jr didn’t sit atop the heavyweight division for long. Following a win over Joshua, he lost the titles in the rematch. However, he is still a relevant name in the ongoing title picture. But, ‘Destroyer’ is still out of an opponent.

What’s next for Andy Ruiz Jr.?

According to reports, Ruiz Jr. is shedding some serious pounds ahead of his return this year. He hasn’t announced his upcoming opponent, but given his stature, he may be spoilt for choice.

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On bagging a win, Ruiz Jr. can demand another shot at the world title. Irrespective of that, boxing fans also desire to see him lock horns against Anthony Joshua for the third time.

So, it is also a possibility on Ruiz Jr’s corner. Thus, the Mexican needs to finalize his opponent and stage an electrifying return before making the bigger moves.

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Do you think Andy Ruiz Jr. can become the world heavyweight champion for the second time?

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Written by:

A senior boxing writer at EssentiallySports, Raj Sarkar is a mass media graduate who is currently pursuing his master’s degree in broadcast journalism. In addition to his current role, he has worked with the MMA team at EssentiallySports and has interviewed prominent fighters such as Ritu Phogat and 'The Red King' Rory MacDonald. He combined his bachelor's degree with his adoration for combat sports and has a combined 2000 plus bylines in MMA and boxing over the last two years.

VIDEO: A Young Andy Ruiz Jr. Names His Favorite Boxers

What’s next for Andy Ruiz Jr.?

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