Speaker 1: Well, it is my pleasure to be joined on our
podcast Todays by none other than the former unified heavyweight
champion of the World, Andy Ruiz Junior. Andy, thank you
for doing this. You have an important fight coming up.
We'll let the folks know. You're gonna take on heavyweight
Jerald Miller August third, You guys, are one of the
featured fights on the cart that the Riot Seasons folks
are doing, headlined by Terrence Crawford against Israel Madramov at
the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Welcome to the show.
Thank you for doing this. How's everything been going for
you getting ready for this fight?
Speaker 2: Thank you? Thank you man, and thank you for having
me on here.
Speaker 3: And I'm just super excited man to get to get
back on action. In August third, I'm gonna be fighting
baby Big Miller, and is it gonna be a really
exciting fight. You know, we both come to fight, we
both have the same mission. We both want to become champions.
And you know, in my eyes, he's just a person
that's trying to take the churios away from my kids,
you know, the flush from the table.
Speaker 2: Away for my kids. So that's a lot.
Speaker 3: Of the motivation that I have, and I'm just ready
to get back on action.
Speaker 1: Well, you mentioned about Andy getting back in action, so
your first fight in twenty three months is what's going
to be going on. So I guess the first question
is where you've been for twenty three months? What have
you been doing.
Speaker 3: I just took some time off, especially from the surgery
that I had. I remember when me and Dante Wilder
we're going to fight, We're no negotiations with that.
Speaker 2: These didn't go my way or my plan.
Speaker 3: So I had to get surgery during Camp three, camp
that I was gonna do, and I kind of laid
low for a minute, and some little problems that I
had under my relationship as well, So I thought it
was a good time just to take this time off.
And you know, I'm back, I'm motivated, I'm hungry, and
I'm ready to get.
Speaker 2: Back in action.
Speaker 1: What kind of surgery wasn't If I'm not mistaken, I
thought I saw something on your social about some kind
of knee surgery.
Speaker 2: You no, it was on my shoulder.
Speaker 3: Shoulder, Yeah, it was on my shoulder. I think I
need to get like a little clean up there. And
but as back as you man the guy, the guy
that operated me is a really good doctor and as
better as better than it has before.
Speaker 1: And now you're I guess could you could you say that?
I mean, you go through training camp. Every fighter has little,
uh you know, bumps and bruises in the camp, but
you feel like you're in terms of physically as best
as you've been in a long time, especially given that
you had this surgery you mentioned.
Speaker 3: Yes, I feel really good, especially the people around me
as well. You know we before we used to have
a big circle, and now we have a small circle
that wants the best for me, and that keeps me
focused and all the things that I needed even before.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 3: So I'm really blessed and I feel I feel really
good and motivated for this fight. I know Big Maybe
is gonna come with everything, especially since his loss over
there in Saudi Arabia.
Speaker 2: I saw his.
Speaker 3: Fight live, I was there, and but I know my speed,
my combinations, the power that I have also is gonna
help me win the fight.
Speaker 1: Are you a little friendly with Big Baby outside the ring?
I know you guys are gonna be competitors August third,
but if I'm not mistaken, you guys have a little
bit of a friendly relationship.
Speaker 3: Yeah, we do have a friendly relationship. You know, we're
not here to be talking crab about each other or
anything like that.
Speaker 2: But once we get.
Speaker 3: Inside that ring, we gotta put the switch on and
you know, his got time. But yeah, I know his
his family and his loved ones as well, so there's
no bad blood between us.
Speaker 1: I do find this aspect of this fight interesting, besides
the fact that you guys are two heavyweights that I
think usually we'll put on a good fight, and that's
obviously what the fans want to see. But I find
the storyline, if you will, that when you got the
opportunity to fight Anthony Joshua and scored that big upset
knack at and won the unified heavyweight title. And by
the way, I've covered numerous fights at Madison Square Guarden,
that was the most biggest upset, you know, one of
the most exciting nights I've ever been in that arena.
But you were the guy that replaced Jerald Miller because
of his ped situation that caused him be dropped from
the fight. So it only seems right that all these
years later that the guy that replaced him and won
the title fights him because he never got that title shot.
Do you do you do you think about that at all?
Is that sort of like I mean, it's not like
it's per germane to the fight, but it is an
interesting thing of the way that you two guys are
linked together, even without having ever faced each other, just yet.
Speaker 3: It's really interesting. And then that's so true because he
wasn't a fight Anthony Joshua, and without Gerald Miller, I
wouldn't have got that opportunity. So I thank them so
many times as well.
Speaker 2: And I mean, it's.
Speaker 3: Kind of kind of bad that the situation happened like that,
but you know, God gave me the opportunity and he
gave me the victory, and that's exactly what he's gonna
give me on August third. And it's funny because a
long time ago, one time I fought in Detroit and
this was before me and him.
Speaker 2: We're cool and we knew each other.
Speaker 3: I probably had like maybe fifteen fight, seventeen fights professional
fights or maybe less, but I fought in Detroit and
he came up to the ring and he told me, Hey,
I want to fight you next.
Speaker 2: Big boy, blah blah blah.
Speaker 3: Right after I got done fighting and I knocked out
this guy from Detroit and it was just funny.
Speaker 2: Ever since then, I was like, man, who was this kid?
It was this big kind of that.
Speaker 3: Wants to fight me? And I told him, well, let's
fight right now after I was done fighting. But that's
that's when I first heard of Joe Miller.
Speaker 2: But he's a good guy. He's caring and loving father
as well.
Speaker 3: So no bad blood against me and him, but best
leave on August third and said that Rain, there's not
gonna be no friendship or nothing.
Speaker 1: Totally get that. So we did talk a little about
the shoulder surgery and the inactivity you have had just
the three fights since the back to back fights with
Joshua obviously the huge win and then when you lost
the title in the rematch. And the thing about it, though, Andy,
is this when you fought Chris Ariola and then you
fought King cong Rties with time off, you know, sixteen
months off between those two fights. When you did get
back in the ring after laughs, you look pretty sharp.
You got those wins that weren't like controversial, you were
fighting solid quality opponents. Do you feel like that you
were at your best in those fights and were disappointed
by having taken the time off in between or do
you feel like, yeah, you know, it's okay for me.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think so, because you know, even though I
took the time off, doesn't mean that I wasn't in
the ring and the gym training.
Speaker 2: So that's what I was doing as well.
Speaker 3: Just by the time off that I took these previous
few years, I still been in the gym.
Speaker 2: I still be inactive. I've been doing a lot of meds.
Speaker 3: I try to stay sharp, and I think that's what
helped me out a lot. I don't just go out,
I don't just take my my time off and just
drink and eat whatever I want.
Speaker 2: Actually been you know, taking care of myself.
Speaker 3: And it's really important to to have your own gym,
so he could work out, he could maintain. You know,
you get the tools that you have. And luckily for me,
I had my trainer. He would have come and go
from Mexico to to San Diego and he would have
come and help me train. And so I do feel
I'm gonna be pretty sharp, but you know, every fight
is different. Well, when I fought Louis Ortiz, I was
a little nervous because I didn't fight for for a while,
I thought I was gonna have that ring rest. But
I think for me, perfecting the craft and take into
the game.
Speaker 2: Plan and they can help me out a lot.
Speaker 3: But for sure, on August third, God willing, we are
going to be sharp. We're all going to be ready
and ready for whatever Joe Baylor brings.
Speaker 1: Well, Andy, I did see some of the photos that
were post on your social media of you in the gym,
and I have to say, for a guy that hadn't
fought for the last couple of years, and uh and
and and the fact that there had been that layoff,
you look, at least physically, you looked in as good
a shape as I've seen you. I mean you, I
mean you look like it trimmed down a bit. I mean,
am I seeing things or am I right about that?
Speaker 3: Yeah? Like I said, we have been training and and
all that. But but I think the miss the sparring,
the perfecting the craft, I think that's the most important
thing because I think that's what keeps me sharp, that
helps me, h, That timing, the counterpunching, all that. So
I hope to guy that everything comes out perfectly. How
we've been planning and training for August third. But on
the weight, I actually been eating good. I haven't really
been focusing on losing Nevado because I know maybe he's
a big guy, you know, and I'm sure he's gonna
come in that at three hundred pounds or maybe a
little bit more. So I don't want to lose too
much weight, but I want to be strong Roba, like
a sixty five to seventy. But I did lose a
lot of fat and making it into muscle, you know,
every it's a step at a time, and I just
want to be strong for this fight.
Speaker 1: Well, I think you're right about the fact that he's
gonna probably be three hundred plus because in looking at
his record, he hasn't been under three hundred pounds since
twenty seventeen, and there's a bunch of fights since then.
You did mention that even though he lost in the
last fight against a Wall, which you said you were at,
relatively speaking, he's been a little bit active because he's
had three fights in less than the last you know,
since July, since since July of twenty two, so in
about two years he's had three fights, which for him
has been kind of active and even though he lost.
Do you think that activity will be good for him
or do you think that that Dubois fight was such
a rough fight that it might have taken something out
of him.
Speaker 3: I mean, I'm pretty sure opened his eyes, and I
think he's losing weight. And I see some pictures of
him as well. I think he's losing a little bit
of way because I'm sure he felt to for the
Dubal fight, and I'm sure he's motivated as well.
Speaker 2: You know, I think he wants to come.
Speaker 3: Back and especially try to from the loss that he had,
you know, so I'm pretty sure he wants to come
in strong and hard.
Speaker 2: But I'm ready for whatever he brings to the table.
I think my abilities that I have.
Speaker 3: Is an overpower him, and you know, God willing we
stick to the game plan and we do what we
got to do and become victorious August.
Speaker 1: The heavyweight division right now is kind of hot, right
I Mean, you got Usik and Fury had their outstanding
fight to crown the undisputed champion in Usik. One of
the belts, you know, was he vacated and do what
ended up winning it. So he's got one of the belts.
He's going to be fighting Anthony Joshua year old rival.
And there's been a bunch of other guys that have
sort of emerged there as Joseph Parker, who's won some
important fights. You got Jared Anderson is on this card
that you're on, also on the undercard on a very
good fight against Martin McCole. You got Zilly Jang around,
Agi Kabiell has been doing work on these Saudi cards,
and now we get Andy Ruiz back in the mix.
Do you feel like the heavyweight division is is in
a good spot right now with all those guys and
then putting yourself, who's you know, got your accomplishments and
your name and the entertainment value that you bring that
the heavyweight division is in pretty much I think I
could say this fairly in about as best a position
as it's been in quite a while.
Speaker 2: Yes, sure, sure is right now is wide open right now.
Speaker 3: So there's a lot of heavyweight extra fights and fighters
right now than a lot of opportunities, you know, So
I would love to fight all those fighters, man, any
fighters as gonna give me close to becoming a world
champion again. I would love to take all those fights
right now. I want to get to two good fights
and maybe my third fight, I wanted to a remass
with Joseph Parker. Maybe e Anthony Joshua gives me the
opportunity to. But for right now, I'm motivated. I know
I gotta step step it up. I know I gotta
climb up the ladders and you know, get these wins in.
So I know exactly what I need to do, and
I just gotta, you know, focus on August third. I
think the most and the main priority is big Baby Miller,
and after God, when we get this victory, we could.
Speaker 2: Call out all the other heavyweights out there right now.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I don't know if the heavyweight division,
as you mentioned, is wide open because you sick is
that he's the man right now because of his victory.
So but besides him, as you mentioned, a whole bunch
of interesting fights. I'd never actual thought of it. Yourself
and Joseph Parker in a rematch that would actually be
pretty interesting. When you fought the first time, it was
a very close fight. That's your only other defeat and
it was extremely close, as you know, one thing about it.
Though you're only thirty four years old. By heavyweight standards. Andy,
that's kind of on the young side. There's a couple
of guys, you know, Jared Anderson is in his early twenties.
But besides that, most of these fighters you know in
data on the young side too, But most of the
other guys, you know, you get into your best when
you get into your thirties. Do you feel like maybe
the best is still to come with you or have
we've seen that because of the things you've already accomplished.
What's your thought about that?
Speaker 2: Yes, I do.
Speaker 3: I feel like my time in is perfect right now,
and you know, I'm ready to rock and roll. I'm
still young, I'm still strong. I never really been in
big battles in fights, so I feel I feel right
now is my prime and I got to take advantage
of it and fight fight at least two or three
fights a year.
Speaker 2: So I just want to be active. I don't want
to fight.
Speaker 3: I don't want to win big, big baby Miller and
then you guys loose me for two years again.
Speaker 2: I don't want that to happen.
Speaker 3: Right now, that I have everything, everything ready, and that
I'm focused and have the right people around me, the
right team, I think it's perfect right now, I think
it's the perfect, perfect timing for me, and you know
I'm ready to rock and roll.
Speaker 1: Well, there's absolutely with a victory and a good performance
against Gerald Big Baby Miller, there's absolutely going to be opportunities,
I would think, especially with the Saudi's involved in what
they've been doing in the heavyweight division. So I can
just say this, Andy, I'll look forward to seeing your
fight on August her and I'm looking forward to being
at the fight on August Heart. I wish you nothing
but the best of luck and it's good teth Andy
reize back in the heavyweight division.
Speaker 2: Yes, sir, and thank you so much, man, and thank
you for having me here, and for sure i'll see
you on August third. And thank you. I really appreciate
you that