Mauricio Sulaiman Teases Andy Ruiz v Deontay Wilder WBC Eliminator
Are we getting one step close to a clash between former heavyweight champions Deontay “Bomb Squad” Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) and Andy “Destroyer” Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs)? During an interview with sports news source Marca, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman says that the sanctioning body will order a fight between the two during next week’s WBC convention in Acapulco, Mexico.
“At the convention, all the final eliminators are going to be ordered, which includes Ruiz-Wilder.”
For months, word on the street has been that the two would meet at some point in early to mid 2023. A former unified champion, Ruiz is coming off a decision win over Luis Ortiz on September 4. Afterward, he called for a fight with Wilder, the one-time long-reigning WBC champ.
Wilder is coming off a first-round KO over world-ranked Robert Helenius on October 15. During the post-fight news conference, Bomb Squad said he was open for all challenges, Ruiz included.
A REASONABLE MATCHUP
With reigning unified champion Oleksandr Usyk taking a hiatus to deal with injuries and the plight of his country, Ukraine, he will be on the shelf for the foreseeable future. WBC champ Tyson Fury will fight a trilogy with Dereck Chisora on December 3. So, why not Wilder and Ruiz fight one another?
The matchup makes sense for both men. Given that they are promoted by PBC, negotiations should not be that troublesome. On paper, it would be an intriguing contest. Wilder is arguably the hardest hitter in all of boxing. Ruiz is one of the best combination punchers and has some of the fastest hands in the division. It’s an attractive fight that would draw the casual and hardcore sects alike and produce a nice paycheck for each fighter. The winner would be in line for a shot against Fury.
In boxing, you cannot count your chickens before they are hatched. However, it seems like it’s not a matter of ‘if’ this fight will occur, but ‘when’. As always, stay tuned to 3Kings Boxing for further details.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
