The World Boxing Council has warned the current unified world heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. (33-1) that he will receive a two-year ban from pro boxing if he decides to fight at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year.
Yesterday it was announced that the 30-year-old champion has received an offer from the Mexican Boxing Federation to represent Mexico at the Olympics next year. Initially “Destroyer,” said he’ll be honored to do so if contractual commitments allow it after the Anthony Joshua rematch, but now he may think twice.
“The WBC strongly disagrees with supporting a professional boxer competing in the Olympic games,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman stated in reaction to the news.
Mauricio Sulaimán a favor de peleas de unificación https://t.co/sEHZLEoEhU pic.twitter.com/Qntfe4KzrU
— Suljos Blog (@suljos) September 26, 2019
“It’s something unacceptable that should not be accepted by fans and boxing experts in the world. Olympic amateur boxing is completely different. They are two different sports and it is very dangerous. We cannot accept this.
“If any professional boxer, including champions or former champions, decide to participate in the next Olympics, they will have a sanction of at least two years in the WBC.”
This is not a new stance from the WBC, who had the same rule when professionals were first allowed to fight at Rio 2016. However, if the Mexican-American decides that he wants to fight at the 2020 Olympics, he’ll be excluded from the WBC rankings and he won’t be able to challenge the WBC heavyweight champion until 2022.
