Andy Ruiz poses “no threat” to Deontay Wilder according to the former world heavyweight champion’s trainer Malik Scott.
The Bronze Bomber is on the comeback trail after suffering two defeats in three famous fights against Tyson Fury.
A devastating victory over Robert Helanius, dispatched inside the first round, has propelled Wilder back to the brink of challenging Fury or even Oleksandr Usyk, who both hold the four belts in the division.
But a final eliminator with Andy Ruiz Jr, himself rebounding nicely since defeat to Anthony Joshua, with Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz both cast aside on points, would be no problem for Wilder, according to Scott.
“Andy Ruiz presents absolutely no threat to a disciplined Deontay Wilder,” Scott told Casinos en Ligne. “I’ve been going over my notes and from film study I see Andy Ruiz has a problem with disciplined fighters.
“The only hope Andy Ruiz has is if you give him an opportunity. But if you stick to a game plan he’s easy to shut down. He’s a good fighter but we all have our loopholes, Andy’s is he can’t beat disciplined fighters.
“When AJ fought him the first time he was not as disciplined as when he fought him the second time. The minute AJ fought with a systemised game plan it was a shut out. An old Chris Arreola, who got with Joe Goosen and stuck with a game plan, beat Ruiz in my opinion by two rounds. Every time I look at the tape, I have Arreola winning by two rounds, it definitely wasn’t as wide as the judges had it.
“Andy Ruiz is going to come to Deontay and when he does he puts himself at risk. We’re going to make him reach, he has to, we’re taller. When he reaches he’s going to pay like he’s never paid before.
“A disciplined, systemised Deontay Wilder has no problem with Andy Ruiz. Does that mean Andy is a bad fighter, absolutely not, but Deontay with a game plan; high hand up, chin behind the left knee, patience knowing he’s going to have his big moments - it’s a shutout, a painful, scary shutout.”
