“I Hope You Enjoy Sitting on the Shelf”: Weeks After Fight Debacle, Deontay Wilder Reveals the Reason Andy Ruiz Jr Fight Never Happened

Just when the boxing world started gearing up for the next round of heavyweight fights, the news came that the WBC was doing away with the final eliminator between Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr. The duo was required to fight to secure the mandatory challenger’s spot against the reigning WBC Heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury. Without beating about the bush, Deontay Wilder spilled the beans on what went wrong behind the scenes, leading to the bout’s eventual collapse.

So Deontay Wilder faced Finland’s Robert Helenius on October 15 last year. An easy first-round win cleared the way for a match against Andy Ruiz Jr. The latter had scored a unanimous victory over Luis Ortiz in September. By November, the WBC instructed both to enter the ring for a final eliminator clash. Unfortunately, talks over the fight gradually cooled off over the months after the initial hype it generated.

The reality check: Deontay Wilder

But then, some time ago, conversations around the interesting lineup started gaining traction. However, the excitement remained short-lived. Several accounts narrate discord between the two parties over the financial split. Given the time it took, the WBC finally decided to cancel the fight because of the stakeholders’ inability to reach an agreement.

So Eli Seckbach got to speak with Deontay Wilder at his gym. The ace reporter asked, “What happened with Andy Ruiz (fight)?” ‘

The Bronze Bomber’ replied that the split Ruiz Jr. claimed went way above what it should have been. The amount he demanded hovered between $20 and $25 million, despite knowing it was an utterly unheard-of sum even for a former champion like himself, who stayed at the top for barely six months.

In Wilder’s opinion, the amount that he deserved in real life could have been much less had it not been for the Joshua fights. The Alabamian continued, “So how they think they going ..how they think they need $20 million..no, understand it, you’re not going to get $20-25 million, bro, …this isn’t even a title fight. This is what eliminator or something? You talking about 20–25 million; guess what…I hope you enjoy sitting on the shelf.”

That was one annoyed boxer. However, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is not in a quandary. Talks of a momentous clash with Anthony Joshua early next year have started grabbing headlines. On the other hand, Andy Ruiz Jr. remains without a fight.

Read More: “Wilder Is Waiting”: Boxing Fans Pitch in With Predictions After Andy Ruiz Jr Shares a Shadowboxing Clip Amid Deontay Wilder Fight Rumors

Do you agree with Wilder’s comments on Ruiz Jr.’s monetary claims? Please share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.

Watch This Story: The Deontay Wilder Andy Ruiz Beef