Opportunity knocked for Hugo Ruiz and he was more than glad to answer.

Ruiz will face WBA junior lightweight titleholder Gervonta Davis tonight at Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly the StubHub Center) in Carson, California.

The 12-round bout will headline a three-bout Showtime telecast (10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT).

At Friday’s weigh-in, Ruiz weighed in at 129.2 pounds. Davis originally weighed 130.2 (with no clothes on) but returned to the scale and made weight at 129.8 pounds.

Ruiz fought just three weeks ago on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Adrien Broner fight in Las Vegas. He dropped late-sub Alberto Guevara in the opening session en route to a 10-round unanimous decision.

The 32-year-old Ruiz (39-4, 33 knockouts), who is originally from the boxing hotbed of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, and now resides in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendora, took the Davis fight when original opponent Abner Mares suffered a detached retina in his right eye.

He was surprised at the offer but it was too good to pass up.

“I went back to the gym on Tuesday (three days after the Guevara fight),” Ruiz told The Ring over the phone on Thursday. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity. I do not want to waste this opportunity.”

Ruiz will be a significant underdog against Davis (20-0, 19 KOs), who will be defending the WBA title he won on Apr. 21 against Jesus Cuellar.

“Davis is a great fighter,” said Ruiz, who is promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz. “He is the best in the division and it will be a great challenge for me. He has many strengths, but my team and I see weaknesses in him.”

Ruiz is trained by his older brothers, Heriberto and Edel Ruiz, and his father. History has not always been kind to fighters whose fathers or brothers work their corners, but Ruiz wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I have a great team,” he said. “All that I know is what my brothers have taught me. They point out my mistakes and errors and I’ve learned a great deal from them. No one looks out for me other than them. What else can I ask for?”

Ruiz once held a WBC world title, but that was at 122 pounds. Few people give him a chance of winning Saturday night, but the challenger is dismissing the doubters.

“I have faced difficult challenges throughout my career; they’ve been both physical and mental,” Ruiz said. “This fight is the next step to fulfilling my goal of winning another world title.”

“The Davis fight is the toughest of my career. I know Davis is a strong knockout artist, but I really believe I can win Saturday night. I don’t see any other outcome.”

Francisco A. Salazar has written for RingTV.com since October 2013. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing

Struggling to locate a copy of The Ring Magazine? Try here or
Subscribe

You can order the current issue, which is on newsstands, or back issues from our subscribe page.