Will The Latest Andy Ruiz Jr. News Prevent A Fight With Tyson Fury?
BFW brings you an update on Andy Ruiz Jr. and the TMZ news article circulating with regard to allegations from his ex-wife Julia Lemus.
Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-2) has been in the news cycle lately for things that are good and bad for his career. Mike Coppinger from ESPN tweeted on Friday, “Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is planning a July return, sources told ESPN, with Wembley Stadium on hold for the 15th and 22nd. Andy Ruiz Jr. is in the mix, as is China’s Zhilei Zhang, who could owe Joe Joyce a rematch following the upset.” Before this tweet, Ruiz Jr. was making his rounds on Instagram, eluding to the possibility of winning another heavyweight title.
This all sounded like it was heading in the direction that Team Ruiz wanted. Then shortly after midnight this morning, TMZ posted an article about allegations made by Ruiz Jr.’s ex-girlfriend Julia Lemus.
Julia Lemus filed for the domestic violence restraining order in San Diego back on April 6 … alleging Ruiz “sexually, physically, and psychologically abused me, making me feel like feel like I had to walk on eggshells around him” while they were dating.
The 26-year-old — who was with Ruiz from 2015 through 2022 — added that Andy physically and emotionally abused their two children as well. In the documents, she also accused Ruiz of abusing both alcohol and illicit drugs … causing her to “fear for my life and safety and the lives and safety of my children.”
Later in the article, Ruiz Jr. took his own legal action on Thursday.
Ruiz, however, filed a response to Lemus’ docs in court on Thursday … saying he “categorically denies that he ever has abused Julia Lemus or his children.” He said in the docs there “is no just reason to separate Ruiz from his” kids — while adding Lemus is the one who’s been violent in the relationship.
This doesn’t look good, and there has been a history as of late where accusations could sometimes lead to losing a fight, as it did for Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero when he was initially supposed to fight Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in 2021. Luckily for Romero, he was able to meet Davis months later, but it could have cost him a heavy purse if it wasn’t.
With that being said, I reached out to a source close to the former unified heavyweight champion Ruiz Jr. to see if this recent news would affect his chances at Fury. The source told Big Fight Weekend, “A lot of accusations were made, and they will be sorted out in a family law court. This will not all affect his fights.” The source also mentioned that the real issue with the fight is “Fury not being able to come to the U.S., which leaves limited options. No formal offer has been sent to Andy Ruiz Jr.”
Will Tyson Fury face Andy Ruiz Jr. in July?
This is not to say that the report of Ruiz Jr. being in the race for a shot at Fury isn’t true; they just aren’t that far into the process to send a formal offer. The next few days will be interesting, and after this massive fight weekend, we should get more clarity on who Fury will fight next in July if that indeed is the date for the return of the ‘Gypsy King.’
You can follow Abe on Twitter & Instagram @abeg718 and subscribe to “The Boxing Rush Hour Show” podcast on all streaming platforms.
