Andy Ruiz Jr. sees his fight with Jarrell Miller on Saturday night as a fight that will build him up to become a two-time world heavyweight champion.
(Photo credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
Work at Risk
If Ruiz, 34, loses this fight on Saturday night, it could end his career. He will keep fighting; a loss against Miller would turn him into a lowly gatekeeper type, which he already is.
Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) claims he is driving a trilogy fight against Anthony Joshua, who defeated him by a twelve-round unanimous decision on December 7, 2019, in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
The loss led to a decline in Ruiz's career, as he rarely fought for the next five years, leading to Saturday's rematch against Jarrell Miller (26-1-1, 22 KOs) at BMO Stadium in Riyadh.
“I wanted to fight him a long time ago. Without him, I wouldn't have gotten this opportunity against Anthony Joshua. So, no hate, no nothing. I have to do my best,” said Andy Ruiz Jr. to Pro Boxing fans for his fight with Jarrell Miller on Saturday night.
Unless the Honorable Turki Alalshikh gave the 34-year-old Ruiz this opportunity, he would probably be at home, not fighting, and living his daily life in his mansion in the hills of Southern California.
Miller is a good start for Ruiz if he wants to get back to a world title shot. But he'll have to beat someone close to the top if he wants the world title, and it's likely to be one of these names:
– Jared Anderson
– Filip Hrgovic
– Martin Bakole
The good news for Ruiz is that the heavyweight division is very weak right now, and he may need to beat a few top five names to get another shot at a world title.
Miller: A Big Obstacle
Unfortunately, Ruiz's inactivity, age, lack of ambition, and poor form make it difficult for him to beat anyone good enough to challenge for a world title. If Ruiz disappears for another two years after his fight with Miller, he can forget about his dreams of a title shot or a trilogy match against Joshua.
“That's a job, but what I predict is that I will get that win. I feel good after being laid off for a long time. I have many things to prove, not only to myself but to my fans and loved ones.
“In order to become a two-time heavyweight champion of the world, I have to knock out Jarrell Miller, and that's exactly what I'm going to do on August 3,” Ruiz continued.
Ruiz's dream of the Joshua Trilogy
“When you become a champion, make sure you are disciplined and focused because anything can happen. The AJ trilogy because I still want that fight,” said Ruiz. “I beat him and he beat me. But you made me not 100% or even 50%,” Ruiz said when asked who would prefer a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. “He left with his fist.”
Ruiz appeared to be nearing 75% during his second fight with Joshua. The difference is that Joshua was circling the ring, stabbing and holding Ruiz so he wouldn't get hit. AJ took advantage of Ruiz's short legs and bad moves.
Ruiz can't cut the ring against fighters who move, even in top form. Joseph Parker first revealed that mistake in Ruiz's match, Joshua used this opportunity in his rematch with Andy.
It was a style that would have worked for Joshua if he had used it in his first fight with Ruiz, but he made the mistake of throwing committed components and was cut by a left hook in the third.
It's understandable why Ruiz is so eager to fight Joshua again. The money Ruiz could make fighting Joshua would also help replenish his bank account nicely. There is no other Ruiz that can fight to make the kind of dough that will be paid to fight Joshua.
Ruiz made $10 million in his two fights against AJ, and the wind changed his life for better and worse. It has taken away his desire, and he has shown little motivation to fight regular opponents to fight his way back to the top. In other words, Ruiz wanted Joshua's trilogy without leading it, which some would suggest was a sign of laziness and an aversion to working hard to fight for his goal.
“I want to win on August 3. Jarrell Miller is in front of me, and that's all I can think about right now. I have to get this victory, and we can call some new ones after that,” said Ruiz.
Miller's Motivation
Ruiz needs to be on the phone about his fight with Miller, 36, because the fighter sees him as his way to the top of the big fights. Miller needs this win more than Ruiz because he's not a former world champion, and he doesn't have the luxury of using his fame in Southern California to inspire a star like Joshua or Tyson Fury to fight him.
Miller should beat Ruiz, look good, and then beat another top-ranked heavyweight or two in a potential fight with Joshua, Fury, or Oleksandr Usyk.
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