Boxing star Anthony Ruiz Jr. has shared a clip of him sparring the UFC’s Andrei Arlovski at Freddie Roach’s Wildcard gym back when he was just 16-years-old.
During the footage Ruiz is seen knocking Arlovski over with a right hand, though the UFC fighter quickly rights himself and seems fine.
“I was 16 years old when I had the honor to spar with UFC Heavyweight Champion @andreiarlovski,” Ruiz wrote. “Super tough guy lived up to his name The Pitbull. I did manage to give him some trouble tho. Thanks champ! So many great memories at the wildcard boxing club where Freddie Roach sharpened my skills as a boxer. Sorry for the vid quality it’s throwback. ♂️.”
Ruiz would go on to become a unified heavyweight champion by defeating Anthony Joshua last year, but then lost in the subsequent rematch, leaving the now-30-year-old with a 33-2 record.
If the timing is correct the two sparred around the time was the UFC’s heavyweight champion, though he did lose it in April of 2006 during the second of three fights he’d have with Tim Sylvia during his first run in the promotion.
