Andy Ruiz Jr Drops Trainer Manny Robles Following Anthony Joshua Loss
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Former heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz Jr has split from trainer Manny Robles in the aftermath of his loss to Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.
Ruiz Jr became the first Mexican to be world champion at heavyweight when he defeated Joshua in June last year but was heavily criticised for coming into the rematch over 15 pounds heavier than the first fight and subsequently lost.
The 30-year-old admitted the defeat had been his own fault but he has now split from his trainer. Speaking to ESPN Robles confirmed the news, saying "I've seen it coming, I'll be honest with you, I've seen it coming during camp. I saw it coming, Andy was just doing whatever the hell he wanted to do. The dad, obviously with him being the manager, he just had no control over his son. None of us had control of him, for that matter.
"So I just saw it coming, it wasn't going to work because he wasn't listening. He's not listening to me, he's not listening to his dad, he's not listening to anybody. He said it himself after the press conference [in Saudi Arabia]. He apologized to me, to the dad, because he fuc*ed up. So I figured, 'OK, it's only a matter of time before I get the call.' Fortunately for me, Andy took the blame on himself and didn't sit there like a majority of fighters and blame the coach."
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The 48-year-old claimed that he hadn't spoken to Ruiz Jr since returning to the US from the middle east and that Ruiz's father had revealed to him the sacking was promoter Al Haymon's decision, adding, "They apparently told them that they didn't want the same thing to repeat itself, again.
"It is what it is, I don't know what to tell you. It's not the first time it's happened to me. I'm sure it's not the first time it's happened to other coaches. It happens time and time again. We always end up getting the short end of the stick. But it is what it is, you keep moving forward."
The win, that shocked the world, had put Ruiz in a fantastic position with a potential future fight with either Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury to unify all the world titles.
However the loss in the rematch, and the manner of it, means that he starts way down the pecking order again whenever he does return to action.
There has been talk that he could face Dillian Whyte in April but whoever the next fight is against Ruiz will be without the trainer who helped him become world champion.
