Neither Andy Ruiz Jr nor Jarrell Miller looked like real contenders tonight.
Andy Ruiz Jr and Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller fought to a draw tonight on the Crawford vs Madrimov undercard.
One judge scored the fight 116-112 for Miller, but was overruled by a pair of 114-114 cards for the majority draw.
Bad Left Hook’s unofficial cards were 114-114 and 116-112 Miller.
Miller (26-1-2, 22 KO) had probably his best showing in years, but it did come against a version of Ruiz (35-2-1, 22 KO) who hadn’t fought in two years, has only fought twice in nearly five years, and showed a diminished gas tank along with a clear and pretty rough injury to his right hand, which he says he sustained in the fifth round.
Ruiz called Miller a “strong motherf—er” and said he’d like a rematch. Miller, of course, felt he deserved the win, and the live crowd did agree with him, for what it’s worth. He called boxing a “dirty game,” which is fairly rich all things considered.
Ruiz's Comeback Attempt
Andy Ruiz has the opportunity to send a reminder to the heavyweight division about being a serious threat later this week.
Ruiz faces Jarrell Miller on August 3, live on DAZN, and Tony Bellew thinks the former unified world champion can produce an eye-catching victory.
Since his two-fight series against Anthony Joshua in 2019, Ruiz has struggled to stay active whilst falling down the rankings.
Against Miller, Ruiz will have the chance to prove he’s still a serious contender and earn himself a potential title shot in 2025.
“This is another good fight on what is a great event, and I think Ruiz can get the job done,” said Bellew when speaking exclusively to DAZN.
“If Ruiz is 100% and at his best then I think he wins this easy. His hand speed will be a huge factor in this fight, and I don’t think Miller can keep up.
“Ruiz will want to put on a show and try and land himself another big fight and Miller is someone he can look great against as he wins comfortably on the scorecards.”
Ruiz's Performance a Disappointment
Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-2-1, 22 KOs) fought to a controversial 12-round majority decision against Jarrell Miller (26-1-2, 22 KOs) on Saturday night at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Fans on social media were very critical of the scoring, feeling that Miller had been robbed of a victory against the popular former champion Ruiz, who is from Southern California.
A Shell of His Former Self
Ruiz appeared sluggish, unable to match Miller’s fast pace and pressure. After three rounds, his punches lost all their snap, and Miller repeatedly nailed him with body shots. ‘The Destroyer’ Ruiz was constantly on the retreat from the forty, and his body language suggested that he was tired.
Ruiz was coming off a two-year layoff, and the time out of the ring took out of him. Miller took advantage of Ruiz’s limited gas tank by putting constant pressure on him, throwing shots just meant to connect, and machine-gunning him with flurries in the last ten seconds of every round.
Miller weighed in at 305 pounds on Friday, but he was the more aggressive fighter and in control of the pace of the fight. He was the one pushing the fight against an exhausted Ruiz, who was fighting on empty after three rounds. Ruiz was trying to hold a lot, and Miller wasn’t letting him by pushing him away.
Judges Save Ruiz’s Career
The questionable draw by the judges saved Ruiz’s career, keeping the door open for him to fight in His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season events in the future. It would be a shame if Ruiz got a lucrative fight after this dubious draw rather than Miller.
As for Miller. This hurts his career because if he’d been given the victory, he would have been in a position for a big-money fight against one of the popular heavyweights.
Weigh-In Numbers Show Ruiz's Stride
Andy Ruiz Jr has put on 5.4lbs since his last outing.
The former unified heavyweight world champion returns to the ring on Saturday night after a two-year hiatus to face Jarrell Miller on the Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov undercard.
Last time out, he defeated Luis Ortiz via unanimous decision in a WBC eliminator bout in September 2022 after weighing in at 268.8lbs (19.2 stone).
Ahead of his upcoming clash with Miller, Ruiz Jr has tipped the scales at 274.4lbs (19.6 stone) during a behind-closed-doors weigh-in.
Miller is over two stone heavier at 305.6lbs (21.8 stone).
For Miller, it is his lightest weight since 2018 and a 27.4lbs drop from his last fight against Daniel Dubois.
Meanwhile, Ruiz Jr's weight is his heaviest since his rematch with Anthony Joshua in December 2019.
Ruiz Jr shocked the world in June 2019 when he knocked out Joshua to become WBA 'super', IBF, and WBO world champion in their inaugural encounter.
For the first fight, Ruiz Jr was 268lbs (19.1 stone) but when he ran it back with AJ six months later he was a whopping 283.5lbs (20.2 stone).
He will have to put on a far better display against Miller at Los Angeles' BMO Stadium if he hopes to return to the upper echelons of the heavyweight division.
The Future of Ruiz and Miller
Ruiz Jr said: “I feel like I’m in my prime right now. After all the ups and downs that I’ve been through, I feel like this is my moment, and we die inside that ring.
“We got to work really hard. He wants to be a champion, and I want to be a champion again. The best man wins on Saturday.”
Miller is hoping to replicate Ruiz Jr and move himself into a position to fight for a world title.
The American said: “He knows what it feels like to have his hand raised and get a championship belt. I don’t know yet.
“So, I’m still seeking that thrill. I’m still seeking that feeling, and the hunger inside of me is even stronger now.
“I’m 35-years old. It’s do or die.”
The judges’ decision was controversial and leaves questions about the future of both fighters. Ruiz’s performance raised concerns about his ability to compete at the highest level, while Miller’s impressive performance was overshadowed by the questionable scoring. Only time will tell if either fighter can capitalize on this night and earn their way back to title contention.
