Deontay Wilder has let rip at Andy Ruiz Jr after the Mexican-American lost his heavyweight world titles to Anthony Joshua on Saturday night.
The American had been hoping to eventually unify against Ruiz Jr as they both fight under Al Haymon’s PBC banner, but was furious to see him give the belts back to AJ, who works with rival promoter Eddie Hearn.
Wilder vented to The Athletic: “People say I have no skills, but my intellect is high enough to know if I’d been in a situation like [Ruiz Jr] and something’s not working, you’ve got to change up my style.
“I’m smart enough to know, cut the f***ing ring off.
“Once you cut the ring off, you put Joshua in a corner and you can have your way with him by hitting him the way you did the first time
“To be in boxing that long and not know how to cut the ring off? If he knew, he didn’t do it, or he didn’t have the intellect. I’m a little upset with him.”
“Ruiz said he was doing great, not letting this moment get to him, but in the end you hear him saying he ate too much and should’ve trained harder… Like, what the f***?
“What do you mean you ate too much and could’ve trained harder?
“I take this s*** seriously. I don’t know what their mentality is, but I didn’t become champion of the world just to say, ‘Put me in the record books. At least I can say I was a champion. They can never take that away from me.’
“F*** that s***. I’m here for legacy. Long live the king. That’s my mentality, and America should love a world champion like me.”
