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Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya is giving Andy Ruiz a good puncher’s chance to defeat Deontay Wilder.
The two former heavyweight champions are in line to face each other in the coming months, in what will be sanctioned as a final WBC world title eliminator.
After suffering back to back knockout defeats at the hands of Tyson Fury, Wilder bounced back last fall with a brutal first round knockout of Robert Helenius.
Ruiz, after suffering a decision loss to Anthony Joshua, has built up a two-fight winning streak with tough decisions over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz.
De La Hoya has a lot of respect for the ability of Ruiz, who pulled off a huge upset back in 2019 with his knockout of Joshua to capture the WBO, IBF, WBA, IBO world titles.
Ruiz can certainly punch, but Wilder is widely regarded as the most dangerous one-punch hitter in the heavyweight division.
If he can land, De La Hoya predicts Ruiz can knock Wilder out.
“He knocked out Anthony Joshua, which was the shock of the century. I think Andy Ruiz can do the same thing to Deontay if he catches him,” said De La Hoya to Fighthype.com.
“Deontay is a very different fighter from Joshua. He’s a smarter fighter, he’s a more passionate fighter. Deontay is smarter. He can use his distance He has that powerful jab, right hand. The only thing that worries me is the chin of Deontay. So, if Ruiz catches him, it’s lights out. Everybody knows that, but he has to catch him. I think it’s going to be a good fight.”