Andy Ruiz Jr is focused on a comeback and has transformed his body, according to trainer Jorge Capetillo.
Ruiz shocked Anthony Joshua in 2019 when took his four belts, but gave them up in December that year in a rematch in Saudi Arabia. Ruiz Jr blamed that he had lost focus on his training and preparation, and Capetillo cites Tyson Fury’s resurgence as an example for his former fighter to follow.
As WBC champion, Fury will go into his first fight with Joshua, expected later this year, as the clear favourite.
Capetillo has worked the corner in various functions for both Ruiz Jr and Fury, and hopes that the lineal champion could give Ruiz some guidance.
"It would be huge for me, professional and personally, if they could share the gym, share a chat, share how their families are," Capetillo said to Sky Sports about Ruiz Jr and Fury.
"It would be positive motivation for Andy.
"Andy knows that Tyson has also taken care of me. Andy speaks highly of Tyson. They share the same faith too.
"Andy, like Tyson, is a man of faith and family. We all make mistakes. They have a good feeling for each other.
"This is what life is about. We make mistakes, we fall down, but we have to get up and move forwards.
"A fighter never loses because they get knocked down. They lose because they don't get up.
"I want Andy to prove to himself that it was not a lucky shot.
"Because it was not lucky, let me tell you, because Joshua went down but got back up. Joshua didn't run. But you saw what happened.
"I would love to see Andy as a champion again."
Capetillo believes that Ruiz’s experience in the ring with Joshua, particularly his victory, could be a useful source of information for Fury.
"It would be a good plus, a good asset, but Tyson will handle Joshua because he is Tyson Fury and he is the best heavyweight in the division and the No 1 pound-for-pound,” he said.
"Tyson has a huge IQ in the ring. He is a different type of fighter - reach, footwork, weight, IQ.
"He has been cut, had 47 stitches, he's been down, he's got up. He knows how to beat Joshua."
The trainer believes that Ruiz has matured since his defeat, and is now focused on being a better boxer.
Asked if he had changed, Capetilla said: "Mentally, yes for sure. He has slowed down. He went crazy when he became the first Mexican heavyweight champion. He met the president!
"Andy is a kid. He got distracted. Now I can see he is more calm with his family. He is getting back on track, especially mentally.
"He has hunger again. He has tasted what it means to be a world champion. I can see he wants more!”