When will Andy Ruiz Jr. fight next? Former champion gives timeline after surgery

Andy Ruiz Jr. will be out of action until 2024, he has recently announced.

'Destroyer' has been out of the ring since a unanimous decision win over Luis Ortiz last September. That victory was the second in a row for the former champion as he looked to get his comeback rolling. Following the win, he was ordered to face Deontay Wilder by the WBC.

The winner of the bout with 'The Bronze Bomber' was supposed to get a title shot against Tyson Fury. However, the contest was never even booked. According to Wilder, Ruiz Jr. was asking for too much money, and he would instead focus on booking a bout with Anthony Joshua.

Andy Ruiz Jr. later called for a bout with 'AJ' himself, but it seems that will have to wait. On Instagram, the former champion stated that he had recently had surgery for an unknown issue. Although, he's not expected to spend too long recovering.

That being said, Ruiz Jr. did acknowledge that the surgery will keep him out until at least 2024. On Instagram, he stated:

"I just got done working out five days on from my surgery. We're back in the gym, feeling good, feeling blessed and can't wait to get back in the ring man. 2024 is my year baby, it's my year, remember that. Had a little minor setback for a major comeback."

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Deontay Wilder's coach names fight more dangerous than Andy Ruiz Jr.

It's been known that Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Deontay Wilder won't happen, but now fans partially know why.

'The Bronze Bomber' has spent most of this year in talks with three different men. One was 'Destroyer', with the two having been ordered to fight by the WBC. However, due to financial requests from Ruiz Jr., that bout won't happen.

Wilder also later spent time discussing a December clash with Anthony Joshua. However, due to issues with getting the requested purse amount from Saudi Arabia, that bout is now being targeted for early 2024.

However, it seems that Andy Ruiz Jr. and 'AJ' will be passed up by Francis Ngannou. 'The Predator' is fresh off a split-decision loss to Tyson Fury, and Wilder's coach, Malik Scott, would love to see the two heavyweights fight.

Speaking to BoxingScene in a recent interview, he stated:

“He showed patience, he showed punching power. He’s very disciplined. Andy’s kryptonite is anyone that’s disciplined. Is Andy a better boxer than Francis Ngannou? Yes. Is he more dangerous than Francis Ngannou? Absolutely not.”