Andy Ruiz Jr is set to make a comeback in the heavyweight division and has promised fans that it will be worth the wait.

The Mexican-American’s chances against Anthony Joshua back in 2019 were slim, in fact he was a 10/1 underdog. He was a late replacement with the career highlight of losing a close points decision to Joseph Parker, whom ‘AJ’ then beat.

Ruiz did the impossible and stopped the Brit that night in New York, becoming the unified champion of the world. He would celebrate heavily before losing the belts back in a rematch at the end of the year.

He’s only been back in the ring twice since, but has kept a keen eye on the sport. In an interview with the Suigeneris YouTube channel, Ruiz was asked his favourite active boxers and named Terence Crawford and Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez.

“That’s fighting right now? I have a few. Terence Crawford. That’s because I know him, I know all his family, they all show me love, I show them love. Canelo’s one of them as well.”

The one-time heavyweight champion said he was a fan of big time match-ups in general.

“I like to see all of it man, anything that catches my eye. If there’s two big fighters fighting together, I like to see that.”

Despite that, when it comes to three-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson Ruiz isn’t interested. When asked if he watched his latest fight, he said:

“That dude’s boring. Nah, he’s boring. Mayweather was like that but Mayweather had balls, Mayweather would fight everybody. He would go forward all the time. He was a fighter. But Shakur, I don’t know…”

Stevenson – currently WBC Lightweight World Champion after winning similar honours at both featherweight and super-featherweight – is one of the most defensively sound fighters active today with an incredibly low punches landed rate for his opponents.

Despite the clear skillset, he was criticised last time out against Edwin De Los Santos for moving too much and not engaging, winning the title on points in a forgettable affair.

Stevenson has since said injuries prevented him from fighting the way he would like, and has promised to entertain against Artem Harutyunyan on July 6.

Ruiz returns to the ring on August 3 against Jarrell Miller.