Wilder vs Ruiz: Retirement-Bound Heavyweights Face Last-Chance Fight
Six years after it was first targeted, and just ten weeks from a public face-off, the heavyweight world is once again asking the same question.
Are we finally about to get Deontay Wilder vs Andy Ruiz Jr — or is this the last swing before retirement for the former WBC champion?
The renewed speculation comes after Shelly Finkel, Wilder’s long-time adviser, told WBN there was “nothing to report.”
It’s a worrying shift for the knockout artist, considering he previously confirmed Wilder would fight again in 2025 following his June stoppage of Tyrrell Herndon in Wichita, Kansas.
Finkel told WBN that Wilder would return in 2026, a few weeks later, but at 40, the problem is undoubtedly time.
The Unplanned Slowdown
Wilder had set his sights on a major fight next: Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk, or another high-stakes contender. Instead, momentum has stalled — and the sudden re-emergence of Ruiz may not be a coincidence.
The pair’s unexpected meet-and-greet at Allegiant Stadium in September, part of an On Location fan package during Canelo vs Crawford, has taken on new meaning. Wilder and Ruiz posed together, exchanged words, and even staged a spontaneous face-off.
Ruiz added fuel immediately: “Coming soon to a ring near you.”
UFC icon Jon Jones jumped into the conversation with his seal of interest — “I’m interested” — while one fan spoke for many frustrated boxing loyalists: “Five years too late, but could be a good one.”
Wilder himself collaborated on the post, a sign he is at least entertaining the matchup.
If this fight doesn’t happen, both careers may have quietly ended without a final marquee showdown.
WBN’s First Report: The Fight Haymon Wanted Most
WBN first broke the existence of the Wilder-Ruiz blueprint in 2019. A high-level PBC insider told WBN that Al Haymon wanted Wilder vs Ruiz above every other heavyweight fight, especially after Ruiz shocked Anthony Joshua in June to become a three-belt world champion.
Haymon’s grand plan was simple: keep all four heavyweight world titles under one promotional umbrella. But Joshua’s immediate rematch clause shattered that trajectory — Ruiz then over-celebrated, under-trained, and surrendered the belts by December 2019.
That defeat killed Haymon’s best chance at an in-house undisputed champion.
The Second Window That Never Opened
Even after Tyson Fury handed Wilder his first defeat in early 2020, Haymon still viewed Wilder vs Ruiz as a PPV blockbuster. But Fury’s contractual obligations, coupled with delays, froze the matchup yet again.
Momentum resurfaced in 2022 when Ruiz beat Luis Ortiz, and Wilder blasted out Robert Helenius — the perfect setup.
With Ruiz’s contract expiring, a new deal couldn’t be finalized.
Now, three years later, the revival is being discussed — ironically for the first time without Al Haymon involved at all.
The 2025 Question: Is This Wilder’s Last Run?
Wilder’s silence, Finkel’s “nothing to report,” and the lack of concrete movement on a major opponent have sparked concerns that the former champion may be approaching the end.
Against that backdrop, a Ruiz fight — once a missed opportunity, then a stalled plan, then a fading rumor — may now be the final realistic option to keep Wilder’s career alive.
For Ruiz, who has fought only once since 2021, it represents a redemption arc that could reignite his relevance in the division.
The Fight That Refuses to Die
Despite six years of false starts, contractual collapses, misaligned schedules, and shifting management landscapes, the matchup continues to resurface — a testament to its enduring appeal.
And with Wilder nearing 40, Ruiz looking for relevance, and both men already teasing the public, this may be the last realistic window for a fight that fans once believed would crown a unified star.
Latest Update
A viable fight date for February or March remains for a possible clash, with Netflix involvement still up in the air. But right now, we still have no concrete announcement — but the activity, the movement, and the social engagement suggest that Wilder vs Ruiz is closer than at any point since 2019.
If it doesn’t happen in 2026, it almost certainly never will.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a veteran boxing reporter with 15+ years’ experience. He has interviewed dozens of world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside at the sport’s biggest events since founding WBN in 2010. Read full bio.
