The notion of Al Haymon pitting his two top heavyweights, Deontay Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jr., together on Pay Per View is hanging in the balance.
As World Boxing News first reported, Deontay Wilder vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. is the first choice paid platform event possible for Haymon to make in-house at Premier Boxing Champions.
Ruiz made his return from losing his heavyweight titles to Anthony Joshua last year in a PPV purposely put on to gauge a Wilder fight.
The Mexican-American defeated Chris Arreola, and Haymon was ready to make Wilder vs. Ruiz if arbitration against Tyson Fury failed.
It was successful, though. Subsequently, Wilder went on to a trilogy defeat against Fury, leaving Ruiz on the shelf. He’s been there ever since and shows no signs of returning shortly.
Wilder has a big decision to make about his career. He recently told a podcast taping that a psychoactive brew would help him conclude his chosen path.
Seemingly awaiting the verdict, Ruiz needs to get back to his activity and not wait around any longer for Wilder.
Haymon might hold off another few weeks for Wilder. But in the end, something will have to give for Ruiz to push towards a world title fight.
The WBC would undoubtedly consider an interim title status for the match-up if Wilder and Ruiz agree soon.
Dillian Whyte, the current holder, will be relinquishing after he clashes with Fury this spring.
That frees up the possibility that number one contender Wilder and number-five rated Ruiz could battle it out for a shot at the winner of Fury vs. Whyte.
However, nothing will make any progress until Wilder makes up his mind. Haymon will want to know soon for the sake of a stagnant top division throughout his stable.
Speaking to Byron Scott recently, Wilder seems to be pushing towards ending his tenure with a loss.
DEONTAY WILDER PSYCHE
In delving deeper into Wilder’s psyche, though, he did inform his wife that he still has a future in the sport.
“You come up to a certain point, as humans we feel we come up to a dead-end or we fail, we think this is it for us,” Wilder told Telli Swift.
“But when you’re traveling along your journey, nothing should be ‘this is it.’
“For me, this is not it. For me, this is just the beginning. The best is yet to come from me. However, I have accomplished many things, more than I could’ve imagined.
“I do still have goals in the sport. That’s why I still have a love for it.”
Deontay Wilder vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. would undoubtedly be a big seller for Haymon. Hopefully, it will come off in 2022.
The views expressed in this article are opinions of Phil Jay.
Phil Jay – Editor of World Boxing News since 2010 with over one billion views. Follow WBN on Twitter @WorldBoxingNews.
