Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr is reportedly in talks for a bout against Chris Arreola for his return. Mike Coppinger reported that the two elite boxers will meet in late 2020. The bout was earlier slated to take place in November, before the two agreed in principle to be matched up.
The news comes as a surprise to the boxing community, especially considering recent reports surrounding Ruiz Jr. Mahmood Charr was heavily campaigning for a fight against the Mexican, and it seemed like a clear-cut possibility. Charr took to Instagram and put out a promotional poster to hype fans going into a possible match-up.
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Mahmood Charr was seen as a highly viable opponent considering the fact that he was on a long lay-off himself. Andy Ruiz Jr. has undergone several changes to his fight camp personnel and will be looking at a smooth return. Chiefly, he will be keen to once again re-enter the conversation for fighting the top draws of the division.
Andy Ruiz Jr and Chris Arreola: A look back
‘The Destroyer’ is coming off a brutal setback to Anthony Joshua wherein he was stopped in the seventh round of their rematch. He returned over the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO straps back to the Englishman in his crushing defeat. Additionally, he has let go of former trainer Manny Robles following the debacle in Saudi Arabia.
Now under the wing of award-winning trainer Eddy Reynoso, Ruiz has seemingly mapped his way back to a title. With a statement performance over Arreola, he could set himself up with more lucrative match-ups down the road. Moreover, he has been consistently posting training footage that sees him in prime shape.
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Chris Arreola has contested for the WBC championship three times in his career and will be keen to actualize his goal. Following his eighth-round loss to Deontay Wilder, ‘The Nightmare’ has gone 2-1 in his last three bouts. Chiefly, he has always been competitive when stepping under the bright lights of the ring.
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Combat sports fanatics will be looking towards the match-up to see how both aforementioned boxers bounce back from a loss. The winner of the possible match-up will gain significant visibility and propel themselves forward in the division.