Andy Ruiz Jr.’s Long-Awaited Return Ended Level
Andy Ruiz Jr. and Jarrell Miller fought to a majority draw over twelve rounds at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on August 3, 2024. Their heavyweight contest formed part of the Terence Crawford–Israil Madrimov card.
The judges could not separate them
One judge favored Miller by 116–112, while the other two returned 114–114 scorecards. Miller’s pressure increased as the contest progressed, but the two even cards left the official result a draw.
Ruiz said afterward that he was willing to face Miller again. Miller believed his aggression and greater activity had earned him the victory.
Ruiz’s return after the Ortiz win
Ruiz had last fought on September 4, 2022, when he defeated Luis Ortiz by unanimous decision. He scored three knockdowns in that heavyweight title eliminator.
The Miller contest ended a layoff of almost two years. It left Ruiz with thirty-five victories, two defeats and one draw at that point in his professional career.
Ruiz injured his right hand during the fifth round, adding a physical setback to his return. Miller was also rebuilding after a defeat, having been stopped by Daniel Dubois in December 2023. The draw left Miller with twenty-six wins, one loss and two draws. Both heavyweights therefore left Los Angeles without the clear comeback victory that could have strengthened their next championship pursuit.
Sources
- Premier Boxing Champions: Ruiz’s September 2022 and August 2024 results
- Fightmag: Miller–Ruiz scorecards and post-fight reactions
- PhilBoxing / Ralph Rimpell: ringside account of the heavyweight draw
