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Deontay Wilder has cautioned Andy Ruiz Jr. not to pass up "a hell of a lot of money" as the discussions escalate. After going silent for months, the two former champions now appear to be making progress as they prepare to square off in a WBC final eliminator to determine Tyson Fury's next opponent. In a very mysterious call out, Wilder shared a video message with his future rival in which he encouraged him to "dictate his own career."
Fans who feel deprived of heavyweight action in 2023 would appreciate a matchup between the two former world champions, but the contract hasn't been finalized yet. Advanced talks between Wilder and Ruiz for a battle between the two former heavyweight champions are already underway. Both fighters are seeking to go back on track with a decisive victory after losing to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, respectively.
The former WBC heavyweight champion said in his video, "Hey Andy. It's time up for the games now buddy. Let's get this fight on man. We offered you a hell of a lot of money. Now one thing I don't want - I don't want you to allow others to dictate your career at this moment in time. It's only a short period of time that you have. You gotta man up to your responsibilities. Because if you allow others to dictate your life at this point in time, you're gonna end up with nothing, zero, broke my man. Okay? So make wise decisions."
Watch the video here:
Ruiz's trainer, Eddy Reynoso, who also coaches Ryan Garcia and Canelo Alvarez, was referred to as Ruiz's "daddy" by Wilder, who cautioned Ruiz not to pass up the chance because of him. Ruiz shouldn't let Reynoso dictate his decision, according to Wilder, as he can have other priorities.
The 33-year-old Ruiz previously responded to Malik Scott, Wilder's trainer, who claimed that Ruiz had received a sizable offer for the bout, said, "Wilder, we're coming man, we're just negotiating right now."
The former unified heavyweight champion recently defeated Luis Ortiz by unanimous decision, however, Wilder defeated Robert Helenius by knockout in November. Given that both contests served as WBC semi-final eliminators, the victor of Wilder vs. Ruiz would be required to confront Fury for the WBC championship.
Given that both fighters are renowned for their strength and ferocity, the match has attracted a lot of attention from boxing fans and experts. Ruiz has 22 knockouts in 34 victories compared to Wilder's 42 in 44 victories.
