Tyrone Spong to Test Unbeaten Streak Against Former Unified Champ Andy Ruiz
Former unified heavyweight champion Andy “The Destroyer” Ruiz (34-2, 22KOs) will make his return to the ring on July 16. He will battle against unbeaten heavyweight hopeful Tyrone Spong (14-0, 13KOs) in Mexico. The fight will be the headliner for Triller’s latest boxing event. It’ll also be a ten-round bout.
RELATED: Andy Ruiz: “How Many Fans Want To See A Luis Ortiz PPV Fight Next?”
This news comes in rather shocking. Ruiz previously teased a possible showdown with two-time heavyweight title challenger Luis Ortiz back in March. This isn’t a fight most people want to see the former champion in. However, it’s a bout that will provide him the opportunity to entertain the Mexican fans in attendance on fight night.
IN THE BLUE CORNER
His opponent, Spong, hasn’t fought since August of 2019. Still, he is somewhat of a known commodity in the combat sports world. A former mixed martial artist and kickboxer, he enjoyed most of his success as a kickboxer. Spong won various titles and tournaments throughout his kickboxing career, most notably finishing second in the 2014 Glory Light Heavyweight World Championship tournament.
In his last boxing match, Spong stopped Jeyson Minda in two rounds. He was initially set to face former undisputed cruiserweight champion and current unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. However, prior to the fight, he tested positive for the banned substance Clomifene. His most recent fight was on January 28 in the Octagon where he was stopped by Sergei Kharitonov in the second round via technical knockout.
While this will be a sanctioned bout, this appears to be nothing more than a showcase fight for Ruiz in Mexico, being that he’s Mexico’s first ever heavyweight champion in the history of the sport. Some intrigue may be there due to the fact that Spong is a huge puncher, evident by his nearly perfect KO ratio. Yet, that could simply be inflated by the limited opposition in his career. Other than that, Ruiz is simply the better fighter.
Reading Time: 2 minutes
By: Jerrell Fletcher
