Neither are/should really be athletically natural heavyweights. One just eats to much. Both have skills and are very likeable..
You can't envision Bivol evading Louis Ortiz for 12 rounds and winning a decision!? Seems like a real possibility to me as does him beating some other top 30s too.
Not for 12. Ortiz is gonna land...............maybe not cleanly all the time but on occasion. Even if Bivol blocks some shots that is going to take it's toll. A 250 lb behemoth landing on a maybe 201 lb Bivol (I'm adding weight to him to get to HW). I think he breaks his body down over time. Ultimately size, concussive force, durability etc............is relative, and eventually those three things trumps any skill advantage to be had (and there is a big skill advantage for Bivol). I took a gander at boxrec's top 30, of the men that I've seen fight (I've seen most of them), there is not one person I'd personally tap Bivol to beat. And I'm pretty down on the HW division, I'm not a fan and think it's a shambles except at the very, very top.
Ruiz is a bad cherrypick for a blown-up 168 fighter. Notably fast hands and sturdy chin. Would just throw with the other guy.
Bivol beating Canelo didn't pull off a more impressive win than Ruiz knocking out AJ. Nor was it a big surprise.
Ruiz has too much power plus he has quick hands, Bivol might be slower bulking up to heavyweight shot. Bivol has an even shorter reach than Ruiz.
Ruiz on front foot from the outset, Bivol would not have the firepower to even dissuade Ruiz from being on the offensive. As the quote attributed to Joe Louis regarding light heavyweight Billy Conn goes, “He can run but he can’t hide".