Live Blog
ANDY RUIZ JR returned to the boxing ring by flooring Luis Ortiz three times and winning on points.
The pair headlined over 12 rounds in Los Angeles with former unified heavyweight champion Ruiz walking away with a points win.
He dropped Ortiz twice in round two before putting the Cuban veteran down again in the seventh.
The scorecards revealed the fight to be close, with Ruiz’s knockdowns actually securing him the victory.
He said: “Since the jump I thought people were doubting me and thought I was going to get my ass knocked down and what not.
“I worked so hard for this fight because I know he’s a warrior and he hits hard.
“I thought I did a beautiful job boxing and countering, I thought I showed some different class than I usually do instead of just pressuring him and going forward.”
Follow all the live reaction below.
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Wild expectations
Deontay Wilder is ready to fight Oleksandr Usyk if Tyson Fury prices himself out of a unification bout.
Fury maintained he would end his retirement if he was paid a record-breaking £500MILLION purse to return.
So it is no wonder talks to face Usyk in the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed decider have stalled.
But Wilder, who returns on October 15 against Robert Helenius, has offered himself up as an alternative for the Ukrainian champion.
Speaking at Andy Ruiz Jr’s fight with Luis Ortiz, he said: “If he overprices himself, they know where to find me. £500million is definitely pricing himself out.
“I’m here, Deontay Wilder’s back. I’m here to make the division back strong and exciting again.
“I’m here for all the smoke. But we’ll see what happens. Boxing is a business. It’s strictly a business and you’ve gotta treat it accordingly.
“We’ll see how the business has to be handled for that fight to happen.”
Credit: Getty Images – Getty -
Weigh to go
Tyson Fury congratulated Andy Ruiz Jr on beating Luis Ortiz on points.
The WBC tweeted: The First Mexican Heavyweight Champion @Andy_destroyer1 defeats Luis Ortiz vía UD in a #FOY Candidate!
“Shout out to both boxers; what a fight!”
And Fury, who holds the WBC title, replied: “Congratulations bro.”
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Card trick
Andy Ruiz Jr secured victory over Luis Ortiz thanks to his three knockdowns – as the close scorecards are revealed.
Ortiz was dropped twice in round two and then again in the seventh but boxed on to hear the final bell.
Ruiz actually took his foot off the gas in the rounds after flooring the Cuban veteran in Los Angeles.
Following the 12 completed rounds, Zachary Young and Eddie Hernandez Sr’s scorecards read 111-114 twice in favour of Ruiz.
And Fernando Villarreal had it 112-113 to the Mexican-American, 32, meaning the verdict was unanimous.
But in actual fact, had Ortiz, 43, not had three points docked for being dropped, he would have won on Villarreal’s card.
The official had Ortiz winning seven of the 12 rounds, while Young and Hernandez had it even a six apiece.
But the three additional points scored by Ruiz for his knockdowns meant he ran out a winner.
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Massive fan of it
Andy Ruiz Jr had fans stunned as he beat Luis Ortiz while showing off an OnlyFans sponsorship.
As Ruiz made his way to the ring, viewers were left puzzled as he did so with an OnlyFans sponsorship on his jacket.
And he as he bettered Ortiz over the distance, the Mexican-American also had the website printed on his shorts.
One fan said: “Andy Ruiz really got a sponsorship of Only Fans on his trunks.”
Another added: “Andy Ruiz with a huge OnlyFans sponsor across his ass is peak boxing.”
One commented: “Aint no way Andy Ruiz is sponsored by OnlyFans.”
Another tweeted: “I love how Andy Ruiz is sponsored by Only Fans.”
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Ruiz vs Ortiz
Deontay Wilder is ready to fight Premier Boxing Champions stable-mate Ruiz if he beats Robert Helenius.
Wilder said: “Deontay Wilder is back. We’re always looking for great exciting fights we love to give the fans.
“So if that’s what is lined up next, I’ve got to handle business and after that, we can get it on.”
Credit: Getty Images – Getty -
Ruiz vs Ortiz
Ruiz wants to fight Deontay Wilder, who was ringside, if the ex-WBC champion beats Robert Helenius next month.
He said: “God willing he wins against Robert in October.
“Me and him are in the same organisation, I want to thank Al Haymon, he can make this fight happen and let’s do it, let’s get it on.”
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Ruiz vs Ortiz
Ruiz wants to fight again soon and avoid sitting out after his win.
He said: “Staying active man, I do not want to be waiting so long, I want to fight at least three or four times a year.
“I’m ready, I’m hungry man. I want to be champion again, I want to bring that belt back to Mexico.”
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Ruiz vs Ortiz
Ruiz added: “It was difficult, man.
“But the ability that I have, me counter punching and waiting for him to load up and connecting and dropping him.
“It was a blessing, man and I just want to thank God so much.”
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Ruiz vs Ortiz
Ruiz said: “Since the jump I thought people were doubting me and thought I was going to get my ass knocked down and what not.
“I worked so hard for this fight because I know he’s a warrior and he hits hard.
“I thought I did a beautiful job boxing and countering, I thought I showed some different class than I usually do instead of just pressuring him and going forward.”
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Ruiz vs Ortiz
Judges score the bout, 113-112, 114-111 x2, and your winner by unanimous decision, Andy Ruiz Jr.
The fight was actually very close and only Ruiz’s knockdown win him the fight.
Ruiz emerges the winner in a WBC title eliminator, with Deontay Wilder and Robert Helenius meeting in another eliminator next month.
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Ruiz vs Ortiz
Three knockdowns scored for Andy Ruiz Jr, who should get the nod on the scorecards.
But at times the Mexican-American lacked a killer instinct by letting Ortiz recover after being floored.
Official scorecards to follow…
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Ruiz vs Ortiz
Round 12 – Ortiz comes out swinging and lands two big left hands as he looks for a dramatic late win.
Ortiz fighting right until the final bell but Ruiz is savvy enough to see it out with what should be a fairly comfortable points win.
Late onslaught by Ortiz but we head to the judges scorecards…
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Ruiz vs Ortiz
Round 11 – Ortiz’s left eye is brutally closed now as a result of the powerful shots coming his way.
Right hand shakes Ortiz and here comes Ruiz pouring on the pressure.
Ortiz does