Andy Ruiz defeated Luis Ortiz in his most recent bout, scoring three spectacular knockdowns along the way. The idle former heavyweight world champion has struggled to build any career momentum since his spectacular victory over Anthony Joshua, but he is finally returning to the heavyweight division.

Ruiz floored Ortiz three times before winning on points.

Ruiz will battle Jarrell Miller on the ‘Riyadh Season Card’, hosted by Saudi Arabia’s HE Turki Alalshikh, on August 3rd in Los Angeles.

Despite his recent inactivity, the Mexican-American hopes that a win will help him re-establish himself in the heavyweight division.

After losing his rematch to Joshua in December 2019, Ruiz did not fight again until May 2021, when he defeated Chris Arreola.

After that, he was away for more than a year before returning with his most recent win over Ortiz in September 2022.

Ruiz, on the other hand, exhibited little ring rust and flashes of the frightening hand speed that he utilized to knock Joshua out.

The bout, held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, began with Ortiz seeking to take control with a southpaw jab in the first minute.

Ruiz was not scared, however, and used his legendary heavyweight hand speed to catch the Cuban with a pair of crisp strikes.

The action picked up in the second round when Ruiz felled Ortiz with a spectacular short right hand to the side of the head.

Ruiz famously floored AJ four times and beat him in June 2019, then lost a points decision in their December rematch.

The Cuban made it back to his feet, but not for long as he collapsed to the canvas again for a second knockdown quickly afterwards with his legs still wobbly – scenes reminiscent of Ruiz’s win over AJ.

Remarkably though, Ortiz fired back after this and appeared to hurt Ruiz with a couple of hard lefts before the bell rang.

In rounds three and four, the Mexican-American boxed more cautiously as a result.

Ruiz’s fast counters continued to trouble Ortiz, though the exchanges were significantly quieter than in the dramatic second.

The fifth and sixth were positive rounds for the Cuban as he avoided many of the shots fired his way and countered effectively.

As they hit the halfway point, Ruiz appeared ahead with the two knockdowns in his favour, but Ortiz was creeping back into the contest.

Round seven saw Ruiz less passive as he attempted to end this pattern of positivity for Ortiz and knocked him down for a third time with another hard, fast right hand.

The speed of the hook to the side of the head was again eerily similar to the punches he used to knock Joshua out back in 2019.

Ruiz is now set to return to the ring again.

In the eighth, the Cuban sought once again to show that he still had plenty left in the fight and arguably won the round as a result of his more forceful approach.

Ruiz responded by coming out firing in round nine, but Ortiz’s counter punches assured that he remained wary.

The action slowed until Ortiz went for broke in the final round.

Unfortunately for the Cuban, Ruiz Jr. had no intention of giving up his lead and did enough to reach the final bell.

He won by unanimous decision (113-112, 114-111, 114-111).

Ruiz has not fought since discussions with Deontay Wilder fell through. He will now return for the Miller bout on August 3.

He then plans to confront Joshua in a trilogy battle.

Ruiz recently told iFL TV: “He says, ‘I’m going to fight a few more times and then retire.’” But I do not want him to retire without battling me.

“It’s going to be really explosive, man.

“Because he [beat] me when I wasn’t prepared. He beat me when I wasn’t training.

“He isn’t fighting really tough fighters. he’s knocking everybody out, he’s supposed to, I feel all the guys he fights are scared.

“Once you go in a big fight like that you gotta be fearless, you can’t be scared, you have to believe in yourself.”