Chris Arreola Admits Andy Ruiz Surprised Him During Sparring

Chris Arreola has recalled the time that he sparred with Andy Ruiz.

Arreola and Ruiz are scheduled to go one-on-one on May 1. The heavyweight tilt will headline a PBC on FOX pay-per-view event. It’ll be Ruiz’s first fight since losing his December 2019 rematch against Anthony Joshua.

During a virtual press conference, Arreola said he didn’t make much of Ruiz when he first met him until he felt his punching power (h/t Bad Left Hook).

“He was a pudgy kid that went in the ring and I thought nothing of him until he threw those hands. And those hands were lethal, those hands were dangerous, they were fast. He was a Mexican with speed and I knew one day this day would come, and now it’s here. I’m preparing and I’m ready for this man, because he is a dangerous man.”

Arreola was taken aback by the speed of Ruiz for his frame.

“One thing I remember about Andy is that he was very unassuming. I didn’t think that he was gonna have the hand speed that he had, the skills that he had. Once we got in the ring, holy [expletive] did I have a rude awakening.”

Arreola hasn’t been in action since August 2019. He suffered a unanimous decision loss to Adam Kownacki.