The heavyweights meet on PPV as anticipated, with Erislandy Lara in action on the FOX pre-show.
The heavyweight clash between former three-belt holder Andy Ruiz Jr and veteran Chris Arreola is now official, with the FOX PBC pay-per-view set for May 1 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The pay-per-view will be priced at $49.95, which is really as low a price as you’re going to get for something that isn’t independently-produced, so that might help some fans take the leap.
Ruiz (33-2, 22 KO) hasn’t fought since his frankly embarrassing performance against Anthony Joshua in their Dec. 2019 rematch, six months after Ruiz became the toast of the boxing world with his mega upset over Joshua, winning three of the four world heavyweight titles. In the rematch, Ruiz was woefully out of shape, the fight was a dud, and he burned pretty much all the goodwill he’d built up as boxing fans felt he clearly did not put in serious effort.
The fallout has been harsh. Ruiz-Joshua 2 was a big fight, and it followed what was really the Story of the Year for 2019 boxing, but the rematch was so bad and Ruiz left such a bad taste in fans’ mouths that there was no doing a trilogy there; nobody had any desire to see it. He also split with trainer Manny Robles, who publicly knocked Ruiz for putting in no effort in camp.
But he’s hooked up now with trainer Eddy Reynoso, most famous for his work with Canelo Alvarez, and has looked in better shape on social media, like he’s taking things very seriously and wants to get back in the heavyweight race.
“I can’t wait to get back in the ring on May 1,” said Ruiz. “Training with coach Eddy in his gym has been amazing. I’m around great fighters like Canelo Alvarez and we’re putting in the work so that I can look better than ever.
“I have known Chris Arreola since I turned professional. He’s a Mexican warrior just like me, and I expect him to come at me with everything he’s got. This is going to be an action packed event between fighters who do not go backwards. I will be smart and ready to do whatever it takes to get the win and put myself back in position to become heavyweight champion again.”
The 38-year-old Arreola (38-6-1, 33 KO) has, if we’re being honest here, been long removed from relevance in the heavyweight division. Like Ruiz, he has struggled with conditioning for various big fights in his career; he was dominated in a 2009 title shot against Vitali Klitschko, lost to Tomasz Adamek in 2010, lost two fights to Bermane Stiverne in 2013 and 2014 (the latter another title shot), and was finished in eight by Deontay Wilder in 2016, his last title shot.
But for all of that, you can say Arreola absolutely comes to fight still. The last time we saw him was in Aug. 2019, and he and fellow brawler Adam Kownacki delivered a tremendous heavyweight action fight on FOX, with Kownacki winning a decision. Arreola threw 1,125 punches in the 12 rounds that night, a CompuBox heavyweight record.
Arreola is still working with trainer Joe Goossen, and feels he’s ready for what really probably will be his last big opportunity if he loses.
“Training with Joe Goossen is tedious, hard work,” said Arreola. “We’re doing everything that we can so that when Ruiz and I face each other, fight fans will get treated to an all-out war between the two best Mexican-American heavyweights to ever step in the ring. This matchup should be a fan friendly fight, and I plan on winning behind all of my hard work.”