Andy Ruiz Jr. beats Luis Ortiz by unanimous decision, calls out Deontay Wilder
Ruiz #Ruiz
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 03: Andy Ruiz Jr. poses during an Andy Ruiz Jr v Luis Ortiz weigh-in at the JW Marriott LA Live on September 03, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Earlier this week, former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. said he was in shape to go 12 hard rounds. He didn’t lie.
In his first fight since a decision win over Chris Arreola on May 1, 2021, Ruiz did indeed go 12 hard rounds against Luis “King Kong” Ortiz on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles in the main event of a Fox pay-per-view card.
Ruiz ended up winning by unanimous decision. Scores were 113-112, 114-111, 114-111.
Ruiz, who left Eddy Reynoso after the win over Arreola and hired Alfredo Osuna as his trainer, came in at 269 pounds at Saturday’s weigh-in and looked in reasonably good condition.
Ruiz said afterward he hopes the win over Ortiz will parlay him into a fight with ex-WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who was ringside for the event. If Wilder beats Robert Helenius next month, it’s possible if not likely they could meet next in the first half of 2023.