Former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr has been on the hunt for a new coach in recent months.
The first Mexican heavyweight champion in boxing ever — decided to part company with former coach Manny Robles after his last fight with Anthony Joshua.
A rematch that saw Ruiz surrender his belts he had previously ripped from the UK fighter last summer at Madison Square Garden under Robles’ stewardship.
Only to then come in vastly overweight and out of shape for the rematch and lose a points decision last December in Saudi Arabia to Joshua to give the belts back to him.
Trainers have perhaps the hardest time in boxing in my view.
If anything goes wrong, literally anything, they are always the first to get the blame and get the chop.
Often times they’re the last to get paid too.
While there has been a lot of controversy following the split with Robles, which seemed very unfortunate in my opinion given the fact Robles helped him do the impossible in winning the title in the first place, alas, life goes on as they say.
Now, according to the boxing rumor mill, none other than renowned commentator and trainer Teddy Atlas has emerged as the leading candidate to take over Andy Ruiz’ training.
While many see this as a bold and dangerous choice, given the outspoken and volatile nature of Atlas, I come from it from a slightly different angle.
Atlas is a tough, no nonsense character with his fighters who gets inside their heads and helps them not only physically get ready but far, far more importantly in professional boxing, mentally get ready too.
At the level Ruiz operates at now it’s all internal and mental for the most part.
Everyone has demons but few of us ever get them tested under the spot light of a heavyweight title fight like Andy did in fairness.
All the blowing up in weight and coming down in weight, then going back up in weight again, Atlas will get to the bottom of this and help Ruiz considerably if selected in my view.
Expect news on this soon as Ruiz’ first fight of 2020 is yet to be confirmed at this time.
