Several images through social media have shown the physical transformation of former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz, who has not fought since December 2019 when he lost the WBA, IBF and WBO belts against Anthony Joshua. In June 2019, he shocked the world by knocking out Joshua at Madison Square Garden, New York, but there was a big difference when he returned to the ring for the rematch later that year and was several pounds over compared to his first fight.
Since that loss, Ruiz has made several changes in his career, most notably joining Team Canelo to train with Eddy Reynoso and focus on losing weight to improve his mobility and boxing style.
He looks leaner and this was confirmed by Jorge Capetillo to Sky Sports this week, while he talked about the motivation Ruiz currently has.
“Being around Canelo Alvarez, who has a great attitude, is a big influence on Andy. His weight has dropped 25 pounds. He looks very lean,” Capetillo noted.
“Andy is a kid. He got distracted. Now I can see he’s calmer with his family. He’s getting back to normal, especially mentally. He’s hungry again. He’s had a taste of what it means to be a world champion – I can see he wants more! But you have to be willing to make sacrifices,” he added.
Now, Ruiz’s goal is to return to the ring but he wants to do it with significant changes that will show his hard work. The boxing world is ready to see the charismatic heavyweight back in business.
In the rematch with Joshua, they kept talking about how much weight he was losing and how his body was going through a drastic transformation and all that. He then shows up to the fight looking fatter than he did in the first fight! Ruiz is just one of those guys who is fat, and will always be fat. It really doesn’t seem to effect his performance that much, just as long as he doesn’t blimp out too much. “He’s hungry again” -Was he never not hungry?
Exactly, let him stay fat because he’s in fight shape. I think this “lean” stuff will backfire on him.
he would be much better, if he would get into shape.
There’s this picture on the internet of Andy Ruiz who looked just as ripped as Mike Tyson did in his prime and I was like NO WAY MAN, that pic has to be photo shopped. In other pics he does look slim but he’s wearing shirts, so hopefully he fights under 245 pounds at most. I know I read somewhere he may fight Chris Arreola sometime this summer but clearly would need a top ten opponent for anyone to take him serious.
oh please, not arreola
Not sure why the big deal, as far as his fighting. AJ needed to haul ass from him to win. Andy didnt take a lot of punishment, just didnt get to let his hands go. He needed to come back with more fights to get his confidence back, just like the ol days.
He should of had a couple of KOs since DEC2019. Not many heavyweights can box on their toes like AJ did so he still matches well with anyone else in Top 10. Capetillo hints its more of a mental issue for Ruiz. Self-sabotage.
As a Mexican heavyweight he can likely get all the dates he wants. Dude just needs to fight.
I think Ruiz tasted some higher-level success and things overwhelmed him. He lost focus. If he is serious now, I think it would be good to see him mix it up now. Why not? He upset the apple cart before.
Oh oohhhh…Ruiz 2.0 is making positive adjustments in his boxing career. Ruiz has a solid chin with fast hands supported by punching power. However, I want to see Ruiz work his jab more while improving his ability to cut off the ring with a mean streak.
Ruiz is one of those cats who can street fight in a Dodger or Raider parking lot, and who can display solid skills in professional boxing. Ruiz is a dual threat fighter (street & ring).
I am looking forward to seeing Ruiz 2.0 in the ring.
Ruiz is a natural fat kid with fast hands and quick reflexes that needs a bit more of imagination on his footwork, and that is what he is trying to get now. He will be a fat kid not matter what he does, but one thing is a fat person with a great amount of extra fat and poorly conditioned (the way he was vs. Joshua in the rematch) and another a well motivated athletic fat kid, in top conditions for a fight.
Andy Ruiz should go for a good name on his return, Charles Martin or Chris Arreola could be a good start I think.
Joshua will never give him another shot. Hearns won’t either. A decent shape Ruiz will beat Joshua 9/10 times maybe more.
Not if he doesn’t get his ass in the ring first.
I’m a big fan of Andy’s. We haven’t seen the best of him yet. Looking forward to the champs return.
If this kid really gets his body in great shape, he can be a very dangerous guy in the division. He has naturally quick hands, and if he can include speed, stamina and movement against these big one dimensional guys….look out!
He needs to come back already and fight any of the top 10 fighters. I love to see him fight and he maybe getting thinner but older as well. Don’t wast your youth just come back.
I like Ruiz, he can box, he can punch, and has a great chin, in good shape he can be champ again.
if/when Ruiz gets into shape, i will watch him.
NOT until then. when i see it , i will believe it.
WOW, in15 months down 25lbs? Not impressed
and from where? 300lbs??
prove me wrong please Ruiz
Yawn Yawn—This guy has talent but no discipline
Maybe losing too much weight is not a good idea. He’s good weighing what he did in his first aj fight. I would say don’t go down too much. Look at what happened to Chris Byrd and even Roy Jones.
Agree in the photos he looks like a crusie weight but thinner.
“He looks very lean.” Really? For Ruiz to look even remotely lean he would have to lose about 60 pounds.
So many people always bring up Tony Tubbs when they make fun of the 80’s HWs, but while he had a belly, in his prime Tubbs also had muscle definition and broad shoulders. Compared to Ruiz and Kownacki, Tubbs looked almost undernourished.
I agree, they rip on a lot of those heavyweights from the 80’s like Tubbs, Grege Page, MIcheal Dokes, etc. You watch videos of them fighting now and those guys were ripped and lean. They through multi- combo punches, could move, and had good footwork. There’s a reason Tubbs was still competitive until his mid 40’s-he could box. A lot of todays heavy’s have plodding footwork, are slow, and throw 1 or two punches at a time, not a lot of combos
not to mention dokes for example. he was such a powerfull fighter while at his short prime. joy to watch. such an explosive puncher.
Ruiz may have a Butterbean physique, but the HW are a very weak division and only 10 or 20 boxers who can be any kind of challenge to Ruiz. Ruiz is sadly just another Buster Douglas. Fighters like that have great talent but very poor diet and need to fight often. .
Ruiz should have seen how fortunate he was to have world heavyweight champion next to his name for all time even for a short time!!!!
Good for Andy!
I just want to see more of of a few fighters who look and fight like the real deal! Michael “Polite Man” Coffie, and Joe “Juggernaut” Joyce!
I will never understand why a man chooses to participate in this sport and not get in supreme physical condition. Absolutely inexcusable. I think Ruiz lacks discipline, has never been willing to make the sacrifice, and lacks dedication. He got lucky in catching the overrated, unprepared Joshua that night, and for a brief time, he was on top of the world.
Good luck to him, but it would surprise me if he got there again.
Yea , I big disappointment to the Mexican community .Another Chavez JR. Talented but no heart .
Ruiz beat Joshua because of techniques and tactics. Not because of his weight. I saw it in the videos of Ruiz hitting the pads before fir Ruiz vs Joshua fight. Ruiz’s trainer had him doing the right things, and he was hitting. Ruiz could have performed even better against Joshua the first time if he had a chance to fully utilize what his trainer had trained him to do. In the second fight, Joshua and his team had made small impovements, and Ruiz had digressed. I think Ruiz staying with the same trainer, and improving, instead of digressing, would have been the right thing to do.