A former unified heavyweight champion is targeting a return to world title contention in 2026.
The heavyweight division has seen the likes of Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua all hold gold in recent years, while the current king of the weight class is undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
It is California’s Andy Ruiz Jr who is edging closer to making his long-awaited comeback to the sport though, over one year on from his last ring appearance.
The 36-year-old has been recovering from a hand injury that he sustained during his domestic clash with Jarrell Miller, which ended in a majority draw after a competitive battle at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Ruiz famously defeated two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua back in June of 2019 when he stopped the Brit in the seventh round of their showdown at Madison Square Garden.
In an interview with Covers, Ruiz claimed that he intends to ‘make history again’ as he prepares to push towards becoming a two-time world heavyweight champion alongside his trusted coach Manny Robles.
“(Robles and I) made history together against Anthony Joshua, and we’re going to do it again. I should be leaving in two weeks to Los Angeles to train with him in his facility. I’m excited to get out of my comfort zone, to go to his space and his gym, his rules, to stay dedicated.”
Ruiz then revealed a number of fighters that he would be interested in facing in the future, as he admits he would be open to reigniting his feud with ‘AJ’.
“That’s something that I would love to (do) … There’s bad blood that we left behind – especially me, losing against him in Saudi Arabia, I want my revenge.”
“Usyk, Tyson Fury, Joshua, and (Deontay) Wilder for sure – four of them. Those are the big names.”
Ruiz has been linked to a potential match-up with former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder, a bout that has been years in the making and one that is said to be of interest to both fighters.
