The 34-year-old Mexican American former heavyweight champion will fight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller on August 3 in Los Angeles, per ESPN.
The fight will take place on the Terence Crawford–Israil Madrimov undercard presented by Riyadh Season, the first boxing event organized by Saudi Arabia outside the kingdom.
Ruiz (35-2, 22 KOs) will fight for the first time since September 2022, when he floored Luis Ortiz three times in a unanimous-decision victory.
Ruiz, who fights out of Southern California, landed his life-changing shot at then-champion Anthony Joshua in June 2019 when Miller failed a doping test.
Ruiz, 34, went on to lose his three heavyweight titles that December in the rematch, the first major boxing event in Saudi Arabia.
Miller (26-1-1, 22 KOs) last competed in December when he was TKO‘ed in the 10th round by Daniel Dubois in Riyadh. The 35-year-old Brooklynite has been suspended twice during his boxing career for PED use and once during his kickboxing career.
The 32-year-old Colombian professional boxer has signed a multi-fight co-promotional contract with Top Rank.
“Top Rank is in the heavyweight business, and we are pleased to be partnering with Yvon Michel to help Oscar get to the next level,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. “He fits right in the heavyweight picture and has the skills and toughness to compete against anyone in the division.”
Rivas, who’ll continue to be co-promoted by Michel, doesn’t have his next fight set, but it’ll take place later this year on an ESPN platform.
“I am very proud and excited to join forces with Top Rank. I thank Top Rank for believing in me,” Rivas said. “I also want to thank my manager, Stephane Lepine, and my promoter, Yvon Michel, for their leadership and guidance from the beginning of my career.”
Rivas (26-1, 18 KOs), 32, was a 2008 Colombian Olympian but has boxed out of Montreal since turning pro in 2009. He notched his biggest win in January 2019 when he stopped former world title challenger Bryant Jenningsin the 12th round in Verona, New York.
In his next fight, for a vacant interim heavyweight world title, Rivas traveled to London and lost a competitive unanimous decision to Dillian Whyte, whom he knocked down in the ninth round. However, the fight was tainted in controversy because Whyte had been allowed to fight by British regulators despite having tested positive for a banned substance, which the Rivas team had not been informed of.
“I am still a bit bitter over the circumstances surrounding my last fight in London against Dillian Whyte, and I hope that one day we will fight a rematch on an even playing field,” Rivas said.
“As for Dillian, I know he will do all he can to avoid this, but nothing will ever stop me from becoming a world champion. I am ready to take on any challenge.”
Rivas joins a Top Rank heavyweight stable that also includes lineal champion Tyson Fury, Kubrat Pulev, Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, Agit Kabayel, Carlos Takam and prospects Guido Vianello, Sonny Contoand Jared Anderson. As an amateur, Rivas scored victories against Pulev and former unified world titleholder Andy Ruiz Jr.
“Oscar Rivas is ready to send a strong message, as he has the style to beat any heavyweight on any given day,” said Michel.
The 28-year-old Dominican boxer is set to face junior bantamweight world titleholder Khalid Yafai in a mandatory challenge bout after their camps made a deal for the fight.
The agreement came on Tuesday, just before the bout was scheduled to be put up for a purse bid at the WBAoffices in Panama City.
There’s no set date for the fight yet, but Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn told ESPN that he might place it on the undercard of unified heavyweight world titleholder Anthony Joshua‘s defense against Jarrell “Big Baby” Milleron June 1 at Madison Square Gardenin New York.
Hearn said if the fight is not on the Joshua-Miller card it would likely be scheduled for another date in June in the United Kingdom.
Yafai (25-0, 15 KOs), 29, of England, has made four title defenses, most recently a unanimous decision over Israel Gonzalezon November 24 in Monte Carlo.
Jimenez (29-8-4, 16 KOs), 28, of the Dominican Republic, hasn’t lost since a four-rounder in 2011, but he also has not faced top opposition.
The fight will take place on the Terence Crawford–Israil Madrimov undercard presented by Riyadh Season, the first boxing event organized by Saudi Arabia outside the kingdom.
