Will Andy Ruiz fight again in 2026 or ever? There has been much talk from him and his team in recent times.
That doesn’t mean he is actually fighting however.
There has been many possible fights he is linked to and he has been training a lot but still no definite opponent yet.
That is concerning as there has been so much talk about him fighting again.
Let’s look at some facts as of now as well as possible opponents.
Here are 12 key facts on Andy Ruiz Jr.’s chances of fighting again in 2026 and possible opponents (as of mid-April 2026):
- Long inactivity — Ruiz hasn’t fought since his majority draw with Jarrell Miller in August 2024 (over 20 months ago).
- Injury recovery — He’s been sidelined by a fractured right hand and previous rotator cuff surgery.
- Comeback talks ongoing — He has repeatedly said he’s targeting a return in 2026 and is “not done yet.”
- Low momentum — As of now, no fight is officially scheduled or announced for 2026.
- Trainer frustration — His trainer Manny Robles recently admitted he’s “lost” trying to motivate Ruiz, showing discipline issues.
- Weight loss progress — Ruiz has shown visible weight loss in recent months, which is positive for a comeback.
- Meeting with Turki Alalshikh — He planned to meet the Saudi boxing power broker for big-fight opportunities.
- Realistic chance this year — Most experts put the chance of him fighting in 2026 at around 50-60%. It would likely be late 2026 if it happens.
- Possible opponents – Deontay Wilder — The most talked-about “former champ vs former champ” matchup.
- Possible opponents – Moses Itauma or Jared Anderson — Younger, rising prospects as realistic comeback tests.
- Possible opponents – Joseph Parker, Zhilei Zhang, or Otto Wallin — Solid gatekeeper-level fights to rebuild momentum.
- Dream/big names — Ruiz has called out Anthony Joshua (trilogy), Tyson Fury, and Oleksandr Usyk, but these are very unlikely in 2026.
Overall Andy Ruiz looks to be in good condition in his training clips on Instagram and so on.
But many of the top tier champions are tied up with big fights at the moment.
If he does comeback this year it will be against a contender most possibly or a highly touted prospect.
Andy Ruiz Jr remains a big name in American boxing and heavyweight boxing worldwide at the end of the day.
Who knows what could happen him this year.
