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Ahead of return against Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller, Andy Ruiz Jr opens up on Anthony Joshua, faith… and ‘flushing bad vibes down the toilet’

The time has come for Andy Ruiz Jr to handle another big baby. He’s had enough practice over recent weeks. Leah Maya Ruiz was born on July 2. The following day, her father was in the ring, sparring ahead of Saturday night’s return against Jarrell Miller.

‘It’s funny, I picked the name literally when they were going to give us the birth certificate,’ the heavyweight explains. His girlfriend Mayeli had decided what she wanted to call their first daughter. Unfortunately, Ruiz wasn’t convinced.

‘It was going to be Landy,’ he reveals. ‘I felt like… babe, she’s going be mad at me! She’s going to think: “Dad, were you trying to name me (after) your name or what?”’

Thankfully they had a list of alternates and Leah Maya eventually won out. ‘I thought it was just a beautiful name,’ Ruiz says. ‘It just gives me joy again, man… she was 9lbs, 5oz. She was a big baby.’

Perfect preparation, then, for Miller who goes by ‘Big Baby’ but weighed in 296lbs more than young Leah.

For Ruiz, the last few weeks have been about juggling his duties as a father and a fighter. ‘We came back to my house, we celebrated 4th of July together.’ And then boxing took over once more.

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‘I can’t lose focus just because my daughter is here,’ the heavyweight says. ‘That should make me more motivated and hungry to win this fight.’ So should the opportunities that linger around the corner. Even at 34.

Incredibly, five years have now passed since Miller failed a drugs test – not for the final time – and Ruiz was drafted in to make Anthony Joshua look good on his American debut.

Instead, over seven bonkers rounds, Ruiz bounced AJ around Madison Square Garden to secure one of boxing’s greatest ever upsets.

Andy ruiz jr

All of a sudden, this ‘chubby boy’ with quick hands was the unified heavyweight champion. All of a sudden, the Mexican-American stood on the cusp of more huge fights and huge paydays.

Ruiz is eyeing a trilogy with Joshua, who exacted revenge six months later but has endured his own chaotic journey between darkness and light in recent years. They crossed paths in Saudi Arabia last year, when Joshua beat Otto Wallin.

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‘He came over to where me and my girlfriend were sitting and told me: “Hey, I’m ready for you. I’m better. I’m back”,’ explains Ruiz. The 34-year-old was baffled at first.

‘What the heck,’ he thought. ‘He’s still thinking of me, he wants to fight again. I’m sure he found himself again. He got his motivation back. And that’s exactly what I have to do.’

It is an illustration of boxing’s warped meritocracy that such fights and such riches remain within reach. No matter that Ruiz was ridiculed after surrendering his belts almost immediately. No matter that Saturday’s fight with Miller is his first in nearly two years – and only his third outing since losing to Joshua in December 2019.

‘Everybody goes through rollercoasters in their lives,’ Ruiz says. ‘Unfortunately, I had my ups, I had to learn, and I had to go towards my downs. Ever since I started praying, I started getting closer to God. And he’s helped me so much.’

What has he found out? ‘Somebody has to go through their lows to understand everything that happened.’ And to realize their purpose.

‘I’m happy for all the ups and downs that I had to go through. Because without that, nobody can learn about themselves. Things had to go that way. It’s like I was born again.’ Now Ruiz feels 34 going on 31.

We have been down this road before, of course. It was back in April 2021, nearly two years on from that crowning night, that Ruiz spoke to Mail Sport with brutally honesty about his spiral – from all the parades and the parties to the emptiness, the regret and the days when he wished he could crawl under his bed and eat Cheerio’s.

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‘I shut myself like a turtle’, he admitted at the time. He smoked and drank and battled depression and considered calling it quits. But then ‘everything changed’. He had a new trainer and – crucially – a different ‘mentality, spirit, everything.’

He had cut out the Snickers and the sweets and the cakes. He had shed some weight and trimmed his entourage. He beat Chris Arreola on his long-awaited return, having discovered that fulfilment arrives not through big houses or flash cars but through finding God.

This time, peace has come through loss. Surgery rid Ruiz of pain in his shoulder. A break-up freed him of mental turmoil.

‘I feel like all the bad vibes that I had before are all flushed down the toilet,’ Ruiz says. ‘I feel like a brand new person. Now I’m going into a fight on August 3rd without any problems, without any drama.’

Earlier this year, it was reported that Ruiz’s ex-partner was granted a restraining order against the heavyweight amid allegations of ‘sexual, physical and psychological abuse’.

Ruiz was accused of terrorizing Julia Lemus and even pointing a AK-47 at her face. He denied the allegations and paints a rather different picture of the relationship.

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‘It wasn’t good for my mental health or for my career.’ Now? ‘It’s like a big mountain fell out of my back.’

The heavyweight continues: ‘We all have little mental breakdowns – especially when it’ your partner… I had to break up and find myself again. God put me here for a mission, and I’m here to continue it.’

The end goal? Reclaim those belts. ‘To prove – not just to my fans, but to me – that I’m capable of becoming a two-time heavyweight champion of the world,’ he says.

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‘To show people that this chubby kid could do all these things – through God, he could beat all these giants… I’m back on the highway I was supposed to be on. He had to put me down, for me to learn and for me to get stronger.’

Ruiz is eyeing a title shot in 2025 but first he come through Miller. They are friends and he has a lot to thank Big Baby for. Those failed tests changed both fighters’ lives and altered the landscape of heavyweight boxing.

Now they meet in Los Angeles on a card topped by pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford. Ruiz and Miller were catapulted in opposite directions during those few weeks in 2019. Really, their paths should never have crossed. But this is boxing and this is where Ruiz finds himself in 2024.

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‘I know I could have found somebody else – somebody easier – for my tune-up fight. But I think he is perfect,’ Ruiz says.

‘It’s like I’m starting all over again… I just have to climb up the ladder again, man. I have to stay motivated, ready and prepared.

‘If I win August 3rd, there’s no way I don’t want to fight again in two years. I don’t want to live that again. Now that I’ve taken all the negative stuff away from my life, I’m ready to hit it hard.’

REMATCH: But is still over two stone lighter than Jarrell Miller, Andy Ruiz Jr comes in at heaviest weight since Anthony Joshua rematch 

Last time out, he defeated Luis Ortiz via unanimous decision in a WBC eliminator bout in September 2022 after weighing in at 268.8lbs (19.2 stone).

Ahead of his upcoming clash with Miller, Ruiz Jr has tipped the scales at 274.4lbs (19.6 stone) during a behind-closed-doors weigh-in.

Miller is over two stone heavier at 305.6lbs (21.8 stone).

For Miller, it is his lightest weight since 2018 and a 27.4lbs drop from his last fight against Daniel Dubois.

Meanwhile, Ruiz Jr’s weight is his heaviest since his rematch with Anthony Joshua in December 2019.

Ruiz Jr shocked the world in June 2019 when he knocked out Joshua to become WBA ‘super’, IBF, and WBO world champion in their inaugural encounter.

For the first fight, Ruiz Jr was 268lbs (19.1 stone) but when he ran it back with AJ six months later he was a whopping 283.5lbs (20.2 stone).

The stocky puncher blamed the 15lbs weight gain on ‘partying too much’ after winning the world titles and looked extremely sluggish as he laboured to a wide unanimous decision loss.

He will have to put on a far better display against Miller at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium if he hopes to return to the upper echelons of the heavyweight division.

Elsewhere on the bill, Crawford and Madrimov made championship weight for their WBA super-welterweight showdown.

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Crawford came in at 153.4lbs (10.9 stone) while the Uzbek weighed in at 154lbs (11 stone).

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Isaac Cruz and Jose Valenzuela’s WBA super lightweight title fight will also go ahead with the champion making 140lbs (10 stone) and the challenger stepping on the scales at 139.8lbs (9.9 stone).

In the other heavyweight bout, Martin Bakole was 284.4lbs (20.3 stone) while Jared Anderson was 252.4lbs (18 stone).

The rest of the reported main card weights can be found above.

All of the results were made official in the early hours of Saturday morning (UK time) at the ceremonial weigh-in.

“We got to work really hard. He wants to be a champion, and I want to be a champion again. The best man wins on Saturday.”

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Miller is hoping to replicate Ruiz Jr and move himself into a position to fight for a world title.

The American said: “He knows what it feels like to have his hand raised and get a championship belt. I don’t know yet.

“So, I’m still seeking that thrill. I’m still seeking that feeling, and the hunger inside of me is even stronger now.

“I’m 35-years old. It’s do or die.”

What He Must Do To Win” Heavyweight Who Beat Anthony Joshua Tells Daniel Dubois

Andy Ruiz Jr is one of only two heavyweights who knows what it takes to beat Anthony Joshua.

The Mexican-American famously did so on a night in June 2019 at Madison Square Garden. Despite being a late stand-in and huge betting underdog who was put down hard in the early rounds, ‘The Destroyer’ rallied and had ‘AJ’ down several times himself on the way to a sensational stoppage victory.

That made him a unified champion, though not for long: he spent more time at the fridge and the club than the gym in the ensuing six months, as he admits himself, and came in under prepared to lose a conclusive 12-round points decision in the rematch out in Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua later lost his titles to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 but this time failed to regain them in a rematch in 2022. He is now looking to become a three-time world champion when he takes on IBF ruler Daniel Dubois at Wembley next month.

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Ahead of that, Ruiz was asked by Seconds Out what Dubois must do to upset the odds as he once did.

“He just has to believe in himself, believe that he’s going to win. Be smart in there. Try not to get hit with these big shots cause [AJ] is strong, he is big, but anything is possible, man. Just exactly like how I won, anybody else can win. All they have to do is believe in themselves and work hard and be smart. He’s on a two-win streak. Anything can happen, you never know.”

He stopped short of giving a winner when asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to say. I hope they both win. I know Dubois, and I know his dad. They’re good people and I wish the best for them.”

Joshua vs Fury: Andy Ruiz Jr Makes Emphatic Prediction For Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury Fight

There are few heavyweights more qualified to discuss, predict and breakdown Anthony Joshua fights than Andy Ruiz Jr.

The Mexican-American shocked the world in 2019, surviving a knockdown to stop the Brit in seven rounds. Ruiz held the WBO, WBA and IBF belts for just six months before the rematch, where he came in ill-prepared against a dialed-in ‘AJ’ who won over the distance.

Speaking to Manouk Akopyan , the 31-year-old expressed his interest in the rubber match.

“God willing I get that trilogy. I’m humble enough to say I’ve got to climb up the ladder to get those fights and win and God willing they happen.”

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Unfortunately for Ruiz, Joshua has a few fights higher on his list than that trilogy. First up is a chance at becoming a three-weight world champion against newly-elevated IBF titlist Daniel Dubois. Should he win, another all-British clash against Tyson Fury – especially should he avenge his loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their December rematch – is one of the biggest bouts in the sport.

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If it happens, Ruiz is backing his former foe to get the win based on his power.

“I think Joshua will win because he hits hard. He’s the hardest puncher I faced. Chris Arreola put me down but Joshua hits really hard. It’s the punches you don’t see coming that hurt, the ones you see coming at least you can absorb it.”

“It Could Be His Last Fight” Andy Ruiz ‘Sure’ Who Wins Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk Rematch

Tyson fury has the chance to avenge his sole career defeat against Oleksandr Usyk later this year.

The Brit was beaten via split decision back in May after his mid-fight success dwindled and Usyk scored a 10-8 round to finish strongly. With the loss, Fury handed over his WBC belt for the Ukrainian to become undisputed for the second time in his career.

As the contracted rematch is fast-approaching, former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr told ES News he backs Usyk to repeat the result.

“I’m going for Usyk. I’m sure he’ll get it.”

Ruiz – whose biggest night under the lights came when he beat two-time Usyk opponent Anthony Joshua for the unified titles – said he had personally spoken to the Ukrainian about a fight and hopes that can be made in the future.

“That’s what I told him in Las Vegas. I said ‘man it’ll be amazing if me and you fight,’ but he has to fight Tyson Fury in December.”

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As for Fury, despite seemingly coming close last year, the Mexican-American holds out less hope for ever meeting him through the ropes.

“I don’t know. He said he could beat me with one hand behind his back. I feel like he’s already gone through a lot of wars and maybe this will be his last fight.”

Fury and Usyk run it back on December 21 in on a Riyadh Season show. The Saudi outfit’s first foray into American territory will feature Ruiz, who faces Jarrell Miller on August 3 on the undercard of Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles.

Two Year Doping Ban: Top Heavyweight Who Fought Anthony Joshua And Deontay Wilder Gets Two Year Doping Ban

In recent times, Anthony Joshua has been scheduled to fight or has faced three opponents who have tested positive for banned substances.

First was that of Jarrell Miller in 2019, who was set up to welcome Joshua to the US. He tested positive for various substances and was subsequently replaced by Andy Ruiz Jr, the man who handed the Brit his first loss.

Miller was banned for the offence for six months before testing positive again and being suspended for two years. He returns to the ring to face Ruiz himself on August 3.

Joshua was working on a comeback last year following two losses to now-undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk, and part of those plans was a rematch with Dillian Whyte.

The heavyweight rivals had previously fought for the British title back in 2015, but Whyte tested positive for a banned substance and was immediately pulled from the second fight. An investigation later concluded this was due to a contaminated supplement. 

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Joshua would knock out late-replacement Robert Helenius in seven rounds. The Finnish fighter tested positive in a UK Anti-Doping Agency post-fight test.

In a statement released by UKAD, it has been confirmed just under a year later that Helenius will serve a two-year ban despite claiming ‘eggs and chicken meat’ were to blame for the presence of Clomiphene – a defence familiar to British boxing fans from the Conor Benn case for the same substance, which remains ongoing.

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“Mr Helenius stated that the clomifene detected in his urine Sample must have originated from his consumption of eggs and chicken meat. However, following a request by UKAD, Mr Helenius was unable to provide any evidence that the eggs and chicken meat he had consumed in advance of the bout originated from hens that had been administered clomifene. Mr Helenius was therefore unable to identify the source of clomifene in his Sample and therefore unable to reduce the applicable period of Ineligibility of two years.”

Helenius, speaking to Yle, said he continues to deny the offence ‘with all his heart.’

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“Yes, I deny it with all my heart. Although it is tough to accept that a suspension had to be imposed, I have to say I understand the decision in the sense that there needs to be some kind of sanction. Otherwise, anyone could claim that a positive result came from somewhere else.”

Helenius, 40, says he intends to continue his career – something he can’t do until September 17 2025. His record is paused with two brutal stoppage losses from his last three fights having been knocked out in the first round against Deontay Wilder in 2022.

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