Andy Ruiz weathers early storm against Chris Arreola to win heavyweight title eliminator
- Ruiz returns with a win after almost 16 months out of the ring
Former world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz had to overcome an early scare against veteran Chris Arreola at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Saturday night, but eventually worked his way into the contest before taking the win comfortably on the judges’ scorecards.
Ruiz, making his first appearance since his December 2019 loss to Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia, looked rusty early on and was buckled in round two by an overhand right, which forced him down to his knee.
The 31-year-old was in trouble again in round three and almost touched down after another clean right hand landed on his chin. Arreola sensed his chance of a huge upset.
But the former world champion, who transformed himself physically in the 16 months away from the ring after dropping his titles to Joshua, worked his way into the bout and by the midway point had made up the ground he ceded during his slow start.
Ruiz’s class shone through in the back end of the fight as his superior hand speed and combinations wore down the durable Arreola, who dropped to 38-7 after the defeat, and comfortably claimed the WBA heavyweight title eliminator by unanimous decision to progress his record to 34-2.
“Chris Arreola is a veteran and a hard puncher,” Ruiz said after the fight. “I was from the low to the lowest and I had to come back. We did what we gotta do.