Former unified heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz has his sights set on a huge rematch with Joseph Parker if he gets past Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller in his long-awaited comeback fight at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles this Saturday August 3.
The 34-year-old (35-2, 22 KOs) steps through the ropes for the first time since his unanimous decision win over Cuban veteran Luis Ortiz back in September 2022, and the ‘Destroyer’ is aiming to put the heavyweight division on notice by producing a dominant performance against New York’s Miller.
“For me next it’s Jarrell Miller; god willing we get that win and hopefully I’d love to run it back with Joseph Parker,” said Ruiz. “I’d love to get that rematch. Of course, I rate Jarrell Miller. Any fighter inside that ring is dangerous. You can’t underestimate nobody. We’ve got to be prepared. We’ve got to be ready for whatever comes our way. We’ve just got to get that win.
New Zealand’s Parker is in the form of his career following two big wins against Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ruiz fell short in a close points loss to Parker for the vacant WBO world title in New Zealand eight years ago, and now the California man wants the opportunity to put things right against his old foe.
“The main thing is just getting the victory, getting back in action and getting ready to fight those big boys,” Ruiz noted. “Me personally I would like to have two fights, against people that are in the top ten or top fifteen. I’ll fight against anyone else after this fight. I just want to fight the top guys man. Joseph Parker is doing amazing things right now. He beat Wilder and he beat Zhang. I’d love to fight him too.”
Ruiz Jr. had his career on hold to undergo a surgery on his right knee in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, in August 2021 — an injury which ruined his scheduled return to the ring against Charles Martin in October that year. He returned to earn a unanimous decision win over Luis Ortiz 16 months later.
Since then, Ruiz Jr. has been out of the ring nearly two years and he makes his long-awaited return on Saturday against Miller. The 34-year-old Ruiz Jr said a fight with Miller has been long overdue and believes it was the best time to get the business done in the ring.
“Back in the day he did call me out. We were in Detroit, I just got done winning this fight, he went up the ring and he wanted to fight me. I was like, ‘you know what, let’s do it right now, let’s do it, I’ll put on the gloves and we’ll get it on’. After the years passed we actually became, I don’t want to say super good friends, but we kind of became friends.
“We’re friends outside of the ring but inside the ring it’s business. Jarrell; it’s time man, it’s time buddy. It’s time to get back in the ring. I’ve seen what you did over there in Saudi Arabia, and now I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do man. It’s all business, nothing personal. Let’s get it.”
Before getting the chance to face Parker in a rematch, Ruiz Jr. must go past Brooklyn’s Miller (26-1-1, 22 KOs) who is desperate to return to winning ways following his tenth-round stoppage loss at the hands of Britain’s Daniel Dubois on the stacked ‘Day of Reckoning’ undercard last December. The defeat happens to be the first loss of his pro career, but Ruiz says he will be prepared for whatever ‘Big Baby’ has in store for him.
“I think it’s a good fight for me,” Ruiz said. “Especially because I haven’t been in the ring for 18 months and for my shoulder. I’m not saying he’s something light or he’s an easy fight, because all fights are hard. You can’t underestimate nobody. I think this is the perfect fight for my comeback.”
Ruiz vs. Miller is part of a blockbuster Los Angeles Riyadh Season Card on Saturday topped by the unmissable WBA and WBO interim junior middleweight world title clash between pound-for-pound number one Terence Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) and reigning champion Israil Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs).
In a co-feature, Mexico’s Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) defends his WBA junior welterweight belt against Jose Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs).
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