Heavyweight boxing is reborn

The unexpected victory of Andy Ruiz Jr. against Anthony Joshua, plus the return of Tyson Fury and the strength of Deontay Wilder, make the heavyweight throne one of the most contested in boxing

EFE 

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In the history of boxing, it is difficult to consider who has been the best heavyweight boxer, although most would favor Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Evander Holyfield or Mike Tyson, following a random order, and forgetting someone who Another great boxer in the category.

Transferring doubts to the present, the question that probes about the quadrilaterals is who is the best heavyweight? There are several candidates and there is no clear dominator.

The surprising victory of the Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr. before the undefeated British Anthony Joshua has opened even more the debate of who would be the monarch of the highest category if the four great organizations of boxing were unified.

Ruiz has taken from Joshua the belts of the International Boxing Federation (FIB), the Association (AMB, World Boxing Association, WBA) and the Organization (OMB, World Boxing Organization, WBO).

The fourth of the great scepters, the World Boxing Council (CMB, WBC, in English) is held by the American Deontay Wilder.

A powerful foursome

Therefore, the monarchs are Andy Ruiz Jr. and Deontay Wilder but, below them, are the threats of the two British Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

Ruiz Jr., 29, originally from the state of California – although he recognizes that his country is Mexico, where his parents were born – feels like the “king of the heavy”, after his unexpected victory against Joshua, on June 1 In Las Vegas.

The new heavy monarch has starred in the biggest surprise that has occurred over a quadrilateral in recent decades. The most knowledgeable compare their triumph with the sound victory of Buster Douglas by knockout against Mike Tyson in 1990.

Ruiz Jr., an atypical boxer. As a child, he suffered "bullying" by chubby and currently exceeds 120 kilos. He assured after the victory: "I silenced the mouth of all those who said 'that chubby is not going to do anything'. I put my dreams before the criticism of everyone who bothered me and doubted me."

Now, the "Destroyer", as he is known, awaits revenge with Joshua, still without date or place, most likely in December and in London or New York, although the Mexican-born champion has explained that they will try to make it in Mexico. "We are going to fight to have a rematch with Joshua, I think it will be a very good fight with all Mexicans and fans," he said.

For his part, Joshua, undefeated until his fight with Ruiz Jr., said after his defeat: "the weight of the heavy is on fire." The fighter, born in Watford 29 years ago, wants to turn the fight around with the "Destroyer" and regain the title. "I do not want people to drown in their sorrows. This will show that I have power and strength. It was not my night," he said after the fight.

Of the confrontation, Ruiz-Joshua will be very pending the other two great aspirants to the throne of the heavy ones. The first, Deontay Wilder, owner of the WBC belt, who got rid of his compatriot Dominic Breazeale in the first round, in a fight held on May 19 in New York.

The second, former British world champion Tyson Fury, who won the German Tom Schwartz in Las Vegas by technical KO on June 14.

Wilder, 33, and Fury, 30, starred in the "Combat of the Year," on December 2, 2018, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, in a fight that ended up void and for which a new one is a prepared confrontation, predictably by the beginning of 2020.

"In the rematch, I guarantee you will not get up from the canvas," said Wilder about Fury and the future fight between them.

Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Alabama), who was bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, earning the nickname "the Bronze Bomber," has played 41 fights as a professional, of which he has won 40.

His imposing stature, which exceeds two meters in height, and his strong punch, make him a fearsome boxer on top of a ring. Before facing Fury, Wilder will fight with Cuban Luis "King Kong" Ortiz, whom he already won in March 2018.

For his part, Fury, even taller than Wilder -2.06 meters tall – and undefeated as the American, resumed his pugilistic career in June 2018, after remaining retired for two and a half years due to mental and drug problems, that it cost him to vacate the belts of the WBO and the WBA, which he obtained in November 2015 by beating the Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko.

Fury has said that his fight against Wilder, last December, the first null of his career, was the best demonstration that he is a recovered fighter and intends to be champion again.

Both the fight between Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua, as well as that of Wilder and Fury, are presented as two of the great boxing events and, perhaps, the winner of both clashes are cited in the “21st-century combat”, the which will determine who is the best heavyweight.