Andy Ruiz Jr. demands that Deontay Wilder reopen negotiations for a heavyweight battle despite being pushed out of an eliminator by the World Boxing Council.
Ruiz was dropped from number two to five in the WBC rankings after failing to agree terms with Wilder over the past year. The WBC aimed to maneuver a new contender into position for Wilder to get the ball rolling on their stipulated challenger for Tyson Fury.
Wilder’s standing with the WBC from a five-year stint as titleholder meant his position at the helm of the ratings was never under threat. Added to this, the WBC Convention deadline for an official ruling is happening in November,
Therefore, Wilder needs another name in the opposite corner – and fast.
The WBC panel moved Anthony Joshua to the number two spot to combat this. The WBC did this after the Briton made heavy weather of stopping Robert Helenius.
Joshua and Wilder were in talks to fight at the time, giving WBC chiefs ample reason to position AJ for the eliminator.
Now those talks have also failed, Ruiz is back in the frame. Therefore, it will be interesting to see if the WBC is ready to backtrack on the decision to drop the former unified ruler.
The conundrum unfolded after both sides of the argument expressed interest in sitting around a table again.
Andy Ruiz Jr wants Deontay Wilder
“We’re back from the cage. We were locked up. I’m back. I feel good,” Ruiz told Fight Hub TV after taking time out to sort out a messy split from his wife. “I feel blessed, especially with the people that I’m around. A lot of support.”
On Wilder, “The Destroyer” added: “Me and him [Deontay Wilder] need to negotiate.
“We need to talk man-to-man, ‘Let’s fight. If it’s not 50-50, let’s negotiate whatever it is. Let’s make it happen. I’m going to beat your a**.”
However, airing views from the Wilder side, trainer Malik Scott answered a question from Fight Hub TV regarding the most likely opponent for his charge.
“Andy Ruiz, probably at this point,” replied Scott. “When you are the hardest puncher in the sport’s history, it’s very hard for guys to want to fight you.”
Demands
In addition, Scott addressed Wilder’s demands and the fact Ruiz refused to budge the first time.
“I’m going to say a number. Fighters would rather stay poor than make four million. That’s a tragedy.
“They’d rather ask for fifteen to twenty million knowing it’s not on the table. They know this money is not on the table for them, but they’d rather ask for that. It’s insane.”
Furthermore, concluding on the Joshua clash falling apart, Scott added: “Deontay is one of those fighters that can literally cut your switch off completely with one shot.
“That’s something that most fighters don’t want to face. They don’t want to face that specimen.
“I just want him to fight, man. I’m so frustrated. That’s my brother. I love him. To me, out of all this, he’s not benefiting from it because of inactivity.”
