"There was a lot of apologizing" - Deontay Wilder once again in talks with Andy Ruiz Jr.

It seems that Deontay Wilder's next fight might be Andy Ruiz Jr. after all.

'The Bronze Bomber' has been out of action for over a year. Last defeating Robert Helenius by knockout last Fall, the former heavyweight champion has been stuck on the sidelines, mainly due to multiple high-profile bouts following through.

Wilder spent most of this year in talks with both Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua. The deal with 'AJ' was seemingly finalized for December in Saudi Arabia. However, Eddie Hearn revealed earlier this year that the deal with the country had fallen through.

Meanwhile, Deontay Wilder's talks with Andy Ruiz Jr. were much more quiet. The former heavyweight title holder stated that 'Destroyer' had requested far too much money, in the ballpark of $20 million. Tyson Fury, who later had talks with Fury, echoed the same.

However, it seems that Ruiz Jr. doesn't want that figure anymore. In a recent interview with Blue Blood Sports TV, Wilder revealed that he was back in talks with the former champion.

In the interview, he stated:

“That fight is not lost. These guys get on my nerves, but yeah we're back in talks. There was a lot of apologizing, we'll see what happens."

See his comments below (1:35:00)

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Deontay Wilder vs. Andy Ruiz Jr: When could the fight happen?

Deontay Wilder's next fight is expected to take place in early 2024.

'The Bronze Bomber' is clearly a bit frustrated waiting on the sidelines. Over the last month or so, the former champion has been vocal about his desire to return to the boxing ring. That's likely what led to talks with Ruiz Jr. restarting.

However, 'Destroyer' is currently out of action right now. Last month, the Mexican boxer took to social media to reveal that he underwent surgery. While he wasn't specific about the injury, he did state that the recovery was expected to keep him out of the ring until early 2024.

Deontay Wilder is also eyeing a similar return timeline. In the interview with Blue Blood Sports TV, the former heavyweight champion revealed:

"When you see the heavyweight division - I kinda agree it's in its worst moment its ever been in history. I brought the excitement back to boxing... We're trying to plan something mid-to-late January. 2024 is gonna be amazing for me. It's just a matter of time before I will be crowned and back at the top.”