By: Sean Crose
Both Andy Ruiz and Jarrell Miller had a lot on the line when they stepped into the ring in Los Angeles to square off on Saturday. Both men were seen as having underachieved since 2019, and neither man was getting any younger. Yet both fighters were also excellent, hard hitting combatants. If they truly meant business on Saturday, they might well have given the fans at the BMO Stadium and at home watching on pay per view a real show. And that they did. The bout was scheduled for twelve rounds.
The first round was a slow affair until the end, when each man began to fire in earnest at the other. Ruiz may have gotten the better of his man, but it was a close chapter nonetheless. Ruiz outlanded Miller in the second, but it was Miller who landed the cleanest shot – a right to Ruiz’ head. With that in mind, Ruiz once again outpunched Miller in the third. Miller, however, did get to Ruiz’ body during the round.
Miller continued to work the body well in the fourth, but Ruiz was sill able to put his hand speed and combinations to good use. Miller won the fifth – perhaps his first such win of the night. His body shots we’re clearly leaving an impact on Ruiz – and he even seemed to rattle Ruiz with a head shot at the bell. Miller continued to work on his man in the sixth. Ruiz was still firing punches, but he looked drained. Ruiz didn’t perform badly in the seventh – but his punches had no juice, where Miller’s did.
Ruiz had a better eighth, but Miller came alive in the final seconds. Ruiz outlanded Miller in the ninth, but Miller landed well towards the round’s end. Miller threw more in the tenth, and was likely able to take the round because of that fact. A shoeshine at the end of the eleventh allowed Miller to seemingly take the round. Miller then went on to dominate the twelfth and final round.
The judges ruled the fight majority draw.
*on a side note, Ruiz showed the cameras a clearly damaged hand after the fight had ended.