Andy Ruiz Jr. asks fans: ‘Fury or Wilder, WHO do you want me to fight?’

By Dan Ambrose: Andy Ruiz Jr. is asking his fans on social media to pick who he should fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. Presumably whoever Ruiz’s fans pick, that’s who he’ll pursue to “shock” the world’ again if given the chance.

Obviously, former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder isn’t an ideal choice for Ruiz to fight with him having been trounced by Fury in a 7th round knockout loss last Saturday in Las Vegas. Where’s the gain for Ruiz if he fights Wilder right now?

Ruiz asks fans to pick between Fury or Wilder

“Fury or Wilder, who would you want to see me fight?” said Ruiz Jr. on his Instagram site.

Ruiz made it clear this week in an interview with PBC on FOX that he’s ready to face Fury for his WBC title whenever he’s ready to give him the title shot. Andy is supposed to be rebuilding his career with a tune-up, but it looks like he’s prepared to go straight into a title shot against Fury if it’s offered to him. Fury would be throwing Ruiz a bone by giving him a title shot he hasn’t earned, but won’t complain.

At best, Ruiz could top what Fury did by knocking Wilder out sooner than the 7th round, but he still wouldn’t get full credit for beating him. Fans would say that Fury already created the blueprint in how to beat the 6’7″ Wilder, and wrecked him mentally.

The former IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Ruiz Jr. (33-2, 22 KOs) needs a big win to get his feet back on the ground following a loss to Anthony Joshua last December.

The immediate plans for Ruiz are to take a tune-up fight next, but he’s ready to fight for a world title right now against Joshua or WBC champion Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs).

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has already made it clear that for Ruiz to get a third fight with Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs), he needs at least 2 big wins.

Hearn: Andy Ruiz Jr. would tear Wilder to pieces

“Did you see Ruiz’s Instagram last night? Doing shots and he was a very happy man going around his house,” said Eddie Hearn to Behind The Gloves. “He was saying, ‘Hard work and dedication, baby.’ He’d had a few. I would like to say, I absolutely love Andy Ruiz.News:Andy Ruiz Jr. wants tune-up in August, but it WON’T be Luis Ortiz

“People will say, ‘He’s not dedicated, and he’s this and he’s that,’ but Andy Ruiz has got a good heart and a lot of fight in him. I can’t wait for Andy Ruiz to come back, and if he can get on him. You’ve seen him in great fights with AJ, and great fights with Joseph Parker. A fight between Ruiz and Wilder.

“Watching Wilder the other night, Ruiz would tear Wilder to pieces. He’s got a great chin, fast hands, he’s relentless, and he’s going to back you up. Ruiz against Luis Ortiz, and Ruiz against Dillian Whyte, these are great, great fights, and I’m excited to see them,” said Hearn.

British promoter Hearn would likely pick many other top tier heavyweights that would beat Wilder as well right now. Like in baseball, once pitchers figure out the weaknesses of a hitter, they’re finished at the big league level if they can’t adapt. Wilder will be easy prey for almost top-level heavyweight now.News:Tyson Fury: ‘I’m pretty sure Deontay Wilder will take REMATCH’

Wilder crumbled mentally after two rounds against Fury, and he offered no resistance whatsoever. Ruiz is likely figuring that if Fury was able to break Wilder down so quickly from putting pressure on him, he’ll be able to do the same.

Wilder had never been put under that kind of heat during his career before, and he had no real answers. The experience wasn’t there for Wilder to fall back on to figure out how to cope with the constant pressing that Fury was doing.

Ruiz Jr. needs a couple of BIG wins to get Joshua trilogy

“It’s not a fight right now that anyone is calling for,” said Hearn when asked about the possibility of a third fight between Joshua and Ruiz. “I think in the division if people are staying active and getting good wins, and Ruiz starts knocking people out, then the AJ fight becomes exciting. Again, AJ just beat him every round.

“We know that AJ won the first fight, but AJ was winning the fight and dominating until that happened. I think the second fight was conclusive enough to say that Andy Ruiz needs a couple of big wins to get that fight, but I think you’re going to see Andy Ruiz in great fights,” said Hearn.

Ruiz Jr. mentioned this week that a fight against Luis ‘King Kong’ Ortiz is possible for 2020 AFTER he takes a tune-up fight first in August. Waiting SIX months before fighting a tune-up is a strong indication that Ruiz is going to take a glacial approach to build himself back up to get a big fight with Fury, Wilder or Joshua.

Ruiz needs to show more of a sense of urgency in quickly returning to the ring, beating the tune-up fodder opponents, and then taking on Ortiz. The way Ruiz is talking, it doesn’t appear that he’s mentally ready to get into the thick of things in the heavyweight division yet.