Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz once pushed a boxing legend to the brink of retirement after a brutal sparring session.
The 36-year-old from California is perhaps best known for his monumental stoppage victory over Britain’s Anthony Joshua back in June of 2019.
‘The Destroyer’ stopped Joshua in the seventh round of their showdown at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City to capture the unified WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles in one of the biggest upsets of all time.
Ruiz has made just four ring appearances since then however, losing his titles to ‘AJ’ in their rematch just a few months later. He was last in action back in August of 2024 when he fought to a majority draw against countryman Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Much of Ruiz’s success is said to be down to his experience in sparring a number of highly-rated heavyweights over the years, including former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, who sparred ‘The Destroyer’ when he was just 19-years-old.
Speaking to Pro Boxing Fans, ‘The Real Deal’ admitted that he knew his time in the sport was up when he sparred a younger Ruiz all those years ago.
“When I sparred that guy Ruiz, and when he was 19-years-old, he was able to tag me, I knew then. I don’t pass my age range where it no longer makes sense to get hit like that by somebody you think you should be able to beat, because experience and all this, but he had speed and I was losing speed.”
Holyfield’s final ring appearance as a professional came in May of 2011 when he stopped Brian Nielsen in the 10th round of their bout in Denmark. He did make a brief return to the sport in 2021 however although he was knocked out in the opening round of his exhibition clash with MMA legend Vitor Belfort.
