By: Hans Themistode
Andy Ruiz Jr. may have added to his win column recently, but he endured a far more difficult time than he was expecting.
The former unified heavyweight champion ended his year and a half layoff just a few months ago on May 1st, against Chris Arreola at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson California. Despite being the overwhelming favorite, Ruiz Jr. was forced to fight from behind as he was floored in the second round.
It may not have been the start he was looking for but Ruiz Jr. finished strongly as he walked away with the unanimous decision victory.
With the heavyweight titles continuing to play musical chairs, Ruiz Jr. desperately wants to get himself back into the mix. To aid him in his climb back up the heavyweight ladder, Ruiz Jr. is hoping to lure a big-name opponent into the ring next.
“We’re looking at Adam Kownacki, he’s going to be fighting in October,” said Ruiz Jr. to FightHype.com. “There’s Charles Martin, Luis Ortiz. There’s a lot of guys out there for me. I just gotta stay busy and stay active.”
Before Ruiz Jr. can re-stake his claim as one of the top dogs in the division, the Mexican native must first steadily work his way back from knee surgery. Dealing with a bothersome right knee for quite some time, the 32-year-old placed his fear of going underneath the knife behind him and underwent a successful operation.
Now, with his recovery process going as smoothly as possible, the former heavyweight titlist is hoping that he can return to the ring before the year comes to a close.
“I just had surgery, I had a torn meniscus,” explained Ruiz Jr. “I was supposed to get operated on it three years ago but I was scared. They were giving me medicine for it but the doctor told me that it’s better for me to be operated on. I feel good, I feel blessed and hopefully, I should be getting back in there in December.”