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Former Unified Heavyweight World Champion Andy Ruiz Jr. is set to make his return to the ring on September 4 against verteran Luis Ortiz.
Ruiz, of course, was the first and only Mexican heavyweight to win a world title when he defeated Anthony Joshua to take the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO Titles. The Brit did, however, retrieve his belts in the rematch six months later.
After the Mexican's defeat against Joshua, he secured his 34th professional victory by beating Chris Arreola in 2021.
The 32-year-old will make his first appearance in 2022 against Luis Ortiz. The vastly experienced 43-year-old is commonly known for his exciting fights against former WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder.
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Ruiz and Ortiz will compete at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena in a pay-per-view event, with more details expected to be released in the coming months. The fight will be showcased by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).
Ortiz was last inside the squared circle in January this year, where he secured a sixth-round stoppage against Charles Martin, a former opponent of Anthony Joshua.
The Cuban was put down to the canvas twice in rounds one and four, before securing his own heavy shot.
Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Luis Ortiz - A closer look
The matchup between Andy Ruiz and Luis Ortiz is set to create an intriguing affair. While the Mexican looks to regain his high status in the sport, the Cuban has proven to be a tough task for all his opponents.
Ortiz has previously held the WBA Interim Heavyweight Title and has competed for the WBC Heavyweight Title on two occasions. The 43-year-old also has a respectable amateur pedigree, as he won a silver medal at the 2005 Boxing World Cup.
Andy Ruiz is 11 years younger than his opponent but has one extra fight under his belt than Ortiz. The Mexican holds a record of 34-2 with 22 of his wins coming by knockout, which gives him a knockout percentage of 61.11%.
The Cuban, on the other hand, has a record of 33-2 with 28 stoppage victories, giving him a knockout rate of 75.68%.
Both men have faced defeat on two occasions but Ortiz has suffered both losses via knockout. However, his knockout defeats were against arguably the hardest hitter of all time, Deontay Wilder.
While Andy Ruiz hasn't been knocked out, he was dropped to the canvas against Anthony Joshua before recovered quickly enough to drop the Brit himself. His other defeat came against former world champion Joseph Parker in a majority decision loss.
