The heavyweight fight between former unified world titleholder Andy Ruiz and Chris Arreola finally has a date and venue.

Both fighters will square off on May 1 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) announced Wednesday afternoon.

The fight will headline a four-bout Fox Sports PBC Pay Per View telecast ($49.95, 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT).

PBC also announced a 12-round middleweight bout between former world junior middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara and Thomas Lamanna. That fight, along with a 12-round featherweight bout between Eduardo Ramirez and Isaac Avelar, will headline a FOX PBC Fight Night telecast (7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT).

The Ruiz and Arreola fight will take place four days before the ‘Cinco De Mayo’ holiday and will feature two Mexican-American fighters who have gained popularity amongst fight fans for their aggressive and all-action styles. 

Ruiz (33-2, 22 knockouts), who resides in Imperial, California, has not fought since losing by unanimous decision to Anthony Joshua in December 2019. The loss came over six months after Ruiz overcame a knockdown to pull off the shocking upset win over Joshua to win the unified heavyweight title. 

Since the loss to Joshua, Ruiz admitted to not committing to training in the lead up to the rematch. He split with trainer Manny Robles, joining Eddy Reynoso, who trains Ring Magazine super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, last year. Photos have recently circulated of Ruiz looking much thinner and in shape in the weeks ahead of the Arreola fight.

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring on May 1,” said Ruiz. “Training with coach Eddy in his gym has been amazing. I’m around great fighters like Canelo Alvarez and we’re putting in the work so that I can look better than ever.

“I have known Chris Arreola since I turned professional. He’s a Mexican warrior just like me, and I expect him to come at me with everything he’s got. This is going to be an action packed event between fighters who do not go backwards. I will be smart and ready to do whatever it takes to get the win and put myself back in position to become heavyweight champion again.”

Arreola (38-6-1 1 ND, 33 KOs), who resides in Escondido, California, lost by unanimous decision to contender Adam Kownacki in August 2019. During the fight, Arreola threw 1,125 total punches, the most by a heavyweight in CompuBox’s 34-year history.

Prior to the loss to Kownacki, Arreola had won his previous two bouts since a knockout loss to then-WBC titleholder Deontay Wilder in July 2016. Arreola challenged twice for the WBC title in 2013 and 2014, losing both times to Bermane Stiverne. 

After having worked with trainer Henry Ramirez for several years, Arreola is now trained by Joe Goossen. 

“Training with Joe Goossen is tedious, hard work,” said Arreola, whose father was a boxer who would take him to Mexico to watch the legend Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr. train. “We’re doing everything that we can so that when Ruiz and I face each other, fight fans will get treated to an all-out war between the two best Mexican-American heavyweights to ever step in the ring. This matchup should be a fan friendly fight, and I plan on winning behind all of my hard work.”

In other bouts on the pay-per-view telecast:

– Omar Figueroa will face Abel Ramos (26-4-2, 20 KOs) of Casa Grande, Arizona in a 12-round welterweight bout. Both Figueroa, who resides in Weslaco, Texas and Ramos have lost by decision to Yordenis Ugas.

– Unbeaten junior middleweight Sebastian Fundora (16-0-1, 11 KOs) of Coachella, California will face Mexico’s Jorge Cota (30-4, 27 KOs) in a 12-round bout.

– Welterweight prospect Jesus Ramos (15-0, 14 KOs), the nephew of Abel Ramos, will face fringe contender Javier Molina (22-3, 9 KOs) of Norwalk, California in a 10-round bout. 

Lara (27-3-3, 15 KOs), who is originally from Guantanamo, Cuba and now lives and trains in Las Vegas, defeated Greg Vendetti by unanimous decision in his last bout on August 29. He is unbeaten in his last three bouts since his split-decision loss to Jarrett Hurd in April 2018. 

Lamanna (30-4-1, 12 KOs) stopped Juan de Jesus Angulo in round 5 of his last bout on January 9. The Millville, New Jersey resident has won his last two bouts since losing a close decision to Brian Mendoza on the same August 29 card. 

Ramirez (24-2-3, 11 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mexico has won four of his last five bouts while Avelar (17-2, 10 KOs), who resides in Aguascalientes, Mexico, has lost two of his last three bouts.   

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing