Ruiz targets Chisora

NEW YORK. - Former heavyweight champ Andy Ruiz Jnr has revealed his return to the ring will be announced “soon”.

Ruiz Jnr hasn’t fought since his decision victory over Chris Arreola last May but has been hard at work in the gym sharpening his tools and shedding the pounds.

But The Destroyer has revealed his hiatus will soon come to an end, tweeting: “Excited to announce my next fight. Date coming soon.”

Boxing fans were quick to speculate the identity of Ruiz’s opponent for his first outing of the year.

And several of them reckon a showdown with Zimbabwe-born British banger Derek Chisora is in the works.

One of Ruiz’s excited followers tweeted: “It’s definitely Chisora.”

Another said: “You vs @DerekWarChisora?” And another said: “Chisora … 100%.”

One asked: “[Derek] Chisora??”

Ruiz’s teasing of an imminent fight announcement came shortly after Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn revealed he’s close to finalising

Chisora’s next bout.

He told iFL TV: “I’m working on a great fight for Derek Chisora.

“I’d love to make it, it would be so much fun. “We are in the final stages of negotiations for that fight, hopefully we can get it made.”

Fan favourite Chisora, 37, is currently on a three-fight skid following a loss to Oleksandr Usyk and a pair of decision defeats to Joseph Parker.

But the battle-hardened bruiser has no plans to call it quits, tweeting last December: “F*** retirement. I’ll be back in the summer.”

He added: “It’s not happening yet (retirement), I did box with a broken finger but I don’t care it is not happening yet.”