Andy Ruiz jr should take a warm-up against someone on the level of Breazeale or Washington, then fight a top ten contender like Kownacki (also managed by Hayman). An interesting fight would be Ruiz vs. Whyte, but they have different management, so while not impossible, it would be more complicated to make. He should never again come to fight weighing over 250, the extra weight slowed him down against Joshua in the second fight. Perhaps he just doesn't have the self-discipline to manage his weight.
Before he talks about a new opponent I would love to see him working out and cutting the weight. With the holidays over he should be hell bent in getting in shape and then start looking for a new opponent. That would show he is serious.
If he shows up morbidly obese at 280+ lbs again, even a fight against Washington might end up blowing up in his face. First and foremost, he needs to get his **** together and get serious.
Well i am sure if indeed he does get in better shape which i hope he does, contenders are not going to want to be facing him. I hope Ruiz sheds some blubber, earns a few decent purses on the back of having been the champ, and gets out of the game to enjoy the spoils of his success. Ruiz grabbed his chance and became champ, so i gotta respect that, the fatboy made good (albeit contributed to losing that title through doing too many 12 rounds of the buffet rather than rounds in the gym). If in better shape i think he would keep any of the current crop of heavys honest for the entirety of the bout. Even If he doesn't return to the squared circle, then with some good money management he is financially secure for life, his name is indelibly written in boxing history as having been the champ, achieving what the vast majority of boxers can only dream of.
May be a fight against Usyk or Agjabe or even a Otto Wailin. I think he should prove himself against some of the lower tier guys or up and comers before we reward him with another big money fight against one of the elites
Yes that might happen, but he will do so while driving a Rolls Royce, courtesy of having been the champ.
He could press for a third fight but it probably wont happen given the mandatorys but with fury and wilder tied up he may be able to leverage it In reality he should maybe go the wilder or fury route and face WBC ranked guys like whyte Rivas ortiz or kownacki
What's next for Ruiz? Fatburger. Followed by In-N-Out. Then An Asian buffet. Then El Torito Sunday brunch. And that's all in one day! hHahahahahah
He's not ever going to be in best shape. We played this game with Arreola, Toney, etc. If he couldn't be bothered to get into shape for the biggest fight on the stage of his career he will never do it. Yeah he might drop a bit of weight (and still be fat) to try and be "this time he's serious"... but it won't last. Ruiz' best course of action is to win a string of fights against hand-picked bums and force himself to a mandatory spot. Then he'll lose but collect the decent payday for being the mandatory.