"I can take one punch" - Andy Ruiz Jr. not intimidated by Deontay wilder's brutal power when American rivals were ordered into fight

ANDY RUIZ JR is unfazed by Deontay Wilder’s brutal power with the American pair ordered into fighting.

The WBC have called on the two to meet in a final eliminator for the title held by Tyson Fury.

Ruiz, 33, returned to the ring in September by beating Cuban veteran Luis Ortiz, 43, on points following three knockdowns.

Wilder, 37, was ringside and a month later brutally knocked out Robert Helenius, 38, inside the opening round.

Following the pair of WBC eliminator bouts, the governing body pitted Ruiz with Wilder and he has the backing of Eddie Hearn to win.

Ruiz told Boxing Social: “For me, I feel like I can take a punch. I’m not saying that he doesn’t hit hard or nothing, damn well he hits hard.

“But just how Eddie Hearn was saying, I’m gonna get in, I’m gonna throw my combinations, I’m gonna be fast, explosive, and I throw that right hand, in his temple, he’s gonna go down.”

Wilder’s team were eyeing Anthony Joshua, 33, or Oleksandr Usyk, 35, for the heavyweight’s return but are confident in beating Ruiz.

Coach Malik Scott told ESNews: “It’s exciting news.

“It’s no secret that I wanted the Usyk or the Anthony Joshua fight for Deontay, it’s big time boxing, but if Andy Ruiz is who we have to line up and get rid of then so be it.

“Andy has fast hands, he’s explosive. Usually when you describe a fighter and say he’s short or he’s shorter, that can come across as a disadvantage.

“But in Andy’s case, being short he [knows] how to use his height to get under.

“I’ve already begun drawing it up and we’re going to get in the lab, and we gonna put him on his ass.”