Andy Ruiz Jr has brought Manny Robles back into the fold as he looks to claw his way back to the top of the heavyweight mountain.
‘The Destroyer’ hasn’t set foot in the ring since last August, when he was held to a contentious majority draw by Jarrell Miller.
Ruiz Jr suffered a fractured hand during the bout, which required a lengthy rehabilitation process.
But after 12 months on the sidelines, he is now ready to mount a comeback.
The former unified heavyweight champion recently declared his intentions to return to competition in either December or January, while he has been putting in the work with esteemed trainer Robles behind the scenes.
Robles masterminded Ruiz Jr’s stunning knockout win over Anthony Joshua in June 2019 for the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles.
However, the pair parted ways after a poor performance in the AJ rematch six months later.
Ruiz Jr came in 15.5lbs heavier for the second fight and was soundly beaten on points in a sluggish display.
The Mexican candidly admitted that the weight gain resulted from excessively celebrating his career-best win.
Robles was very outspoken about Ruiz Jr’s lack of discipline in the immediate aftermath, creating a rift between the pair.
After leaving Robles, Ruiz Jr packed his bags and moved to Mexico to work with Eddy Reynoso.
Under the esteemed trainer’s tutelage, he secured a unanimous decision victory over Chris Arreola in May 2021 before returning home to California to join forces with Alfredo Osuna.
Over the following three years, Ruiz Jr struggled to stay active.
A win over Luis Ortiz in a WBC eliminator followed in September 2022 before the aforementioned draw with Miller 23 months later.
As he nears his 36th birthday, time is of the essence if Ruiz Jr hopes to reignite his career.
And Robles intends to leave no stone unturned.
“He’s at a stage of his career now where it’s now or never,” Robles told Ring Magazine of the job at hand.
On the task of motivating Ruiz Jr, he added: “I’ll set my grounds as I do with everyone, let him know exactly that – no excuses – he doesn’t want to waste his time and neither do I.
“I’ve got to get him to work, back in the ring as soon as possible and get the ball rolling again.”