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Former heavyweight titlist Andy Ruiz, who was present at the recent fight card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, expressed his satisfaction at seeing Deontay Wilder suffer a defeat at the hands of Joseph Parker last Saturday night.
Ruiz, hailing from Imperial, Calif., witnessed a night of high-stakes bouts, including Anthony Joshua's victory over Otto Wallin in the main event. A potential matchup between Joshua and Wilder was rumored for March in Riyadh, contingent on both fighters winning their respective fights.
While Joshua secured a swift victory over Wallin in five rounds, Wilder faced a tough challenge from Parker. After 12 rounds, Parker was declared the winner by unanimous decision, dealing Wilder a significant setback.
In an interview following the event, Ruiz expressed his delight at Parker's victory, citing his disdain for Wilder's previous trash talk. Ruiz and Wilder have engaged in public exchanges over a potential fight, adding fuel to their rivalry.
“I wanted him to beat the sh!t out of Wilder because he was talking sh!t. He talked so much sh!t to everybody saying he's gonna knock this guy out, that guy out, and I was super happy with Joseph Parker, man.
Despite his own inactivity since his 2019 loss to Joshua, Ruiz remains eager to return to the ring next year. He expressed interest in a rematch with either Joshua or Parker, particularly seeking to avenge his prior defeat to Parker in 2016 for the vacant WBO title.
"I just want to see if AJ wants to run it back, get the trilogy, maybe not," Ruiz remarked, indicating his willingness to face Joshua again.