Andy Ruiz Jr. Breaks Silence on Hand Injury: The Fight-Changing Moment Against Jarrell Miller
In a clash that left fans questioning his prowess, Andy Ruiz Jr. fell short of the explosive performance that once saw him dethrone Anthony Joshua. His bout against Jarrell Miller, part of the Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov undercard, ended in a controversial Majority Decision draw, with many speculating on Ruiz’s uncharacteristic performance.
Ruiz, known for his electrifying presence and formidable punches, struggled to maintain his form throughout the fight. Though he began with aggression, landing a few strong shots early on, his stamina faltered quickly. By round four, Miller began to dominate with relentless body shots, wearing down Ruiz and exposing him to clean counters. Despite some effective moments from Ruiz, Miller’s pressure and accurate strikes left an indelible mark on the bout’s outcome.
The turning point came in the fifth round, a moment Ruiz later recounted in a candid interview. As he walked back to the tunnel post-fight, Ruiz shared the revelation of his injury with DAZN reporter Akin Reyes. “In the fifth round, I was really struggling,” Ruiz admitted. “I kept holding and holding. I couldn’t counter like I wanted to. I landed a big right hand to his temple, and that’s when the pain hit me.” The fighter’s hand injury, which he described as severe, significantly hampered his ability to execute his game plan effectively.
His hand, visibly injured and swollen, was a glaring concern throughout the latter part of the fight. “I was taking all his punches,” Ruiz continued, frustration evident in his voice. “It was slow; I saw all the punches, but I couldn’t react properly because of the injury.” Despite the setback, Ruiz expressed his determination. “I did my best,” he said, though his voice betrayed his disappointment. “I don’t even know if my hand is fractured or broken.”
The judges’ scores—one at 116-112 for Miller and two at 114-114—left Ruiz and his fans reeling. Accepting the result with a semblance of grace, Ruiz conceded that the draw was fair under the circumstances. “It was a good draw,” he said, though he remained resolute about his capabilities. “I know I could have beaten him if my hand wasn’t messed up. I could have done a lot more.”
“In the fifth round, I was struggling so much I kept holding and holding. I couldn’t counter like I wanted to. I landed a big right hand to his temple, and that’s how the sh*t hurts bro.” The hand injury slowed him down in the fight, and he couldn’t inflict as much damage as he wanted to on his opponent.
“It was getting to me. I couldn’t land my right hand. But, I did my best bro,” he further stated. Then the interviewer asked if the punches landed by Miller during the fight “hurt” to which the Mexican-American boxer replied, “They all hit hard bro! I was taking all his punches. It was slow, I see all the punches but like I said I couldn’t react with the hand like this (shows off his badly injured hand)”
The fight marked Ruiz’s return after a two-year hiatus following his win over Luis Ortiz. The ring rust, coupled with the injury, overshadowed what could have been a triumphant comeback. Now, the lingering question is how long Ruiz will be sidelined as he recovers from this debilitating injury.
In contrast, Jarrell Miller, who felt he had done enough to secure a victory, was vocal about his dissatisfaction with the judges’ decision. “I know I did enough to win,” Miller asserted during the in-ring interview. “I threw more punches, had him backing up, and hit him with the more effective shots.” He criticized the judging as biased, calling boxing a “dirty game” and suggesting that favoritism played a role.
“I did my best, seven rounds, I don’t even know my hand is fractured or broken,” Ruiz stated frustratingly. Nonetheless, ‘The Destroyer’ agreed with the decision of the judges and accepted that “it was a good draw”. However, he wanted to watch the tapes back to have a better understanding of the results. But, Ruiz believes he could have beaten Miller if he didn’t injure his hand.” I know I could have beat him. I think I could have done a lot more if the shit wasn’t broken,” Ruiz said convincingly.
As the dust settles, Ruiz has expressed a desire for a rematch, leaving the decision in the hands of promoter HE Turki Alalshikh. Whether a second bout will be arranged remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Ruiz’s resolve to return stronger is undiminished, and the boxing world is watching closely.
During the in-ring interview, the New York native said, “I know I did enough to win. “I threw more punches. I had him backing up the entire fight. It’s called effective aggression. I kept the pressure on and I hit him with the more effective punches. I had the fight in the bag.” Calling boxing a “dirty game”, he hinted at favoritism in the judges’ decision.
