Boxing In Australia: Asiku vs. Ruiz For IBO Belt

This Friday at the Leagues Club in Parramatta, NSW featherweights Jackson Asiku and Heriberto Ruiz tangle for the vacant IBO crown in what should be a thrilling contest.

Asiku, 25-3 (13), comes into this one riding a 14 fight win streak over the last five years and during that time the 31 year old native born Ugandan has held the Commonwealth, Australian, African Boxing Union and IBF Australasian titles.

The Adelaide resident has picked up notable wins over Gairy st. Clair, Jamie McKeever and Marc Callaghan during that stretch but now has to come to terms with his most experienced opponent to date.

32 year old Ruiz, 42-8-2 (24), is a textbook Mexican warrior who has fought just about everyone at bantam and super bantam over the course of his 15 year career, losing only to ex-world champions Steve Molitor and Eric Morel over his last nine contests.

The Los Mochis native will be stepping to to featherweight for the first time in his career however and that will almost certainly be a factor in this hotly anticipated clash.

While Ruiz has won regional belts at bantam and super bantam, he’s dropped a world title bout to Rafael Marquez and two world title eliminators, falling short against Molitor and Irene Pacheco since 2004.

Once the bell rings on Friday, Asiku must establish a consistant offense and push Ruiz back while conserving energy to cope with the Mexican’s inevitable late rally. Any lack of focus or waste of energy will be exploited by Ruiz, who will look to get under Asiku’s jab to force a bruising clsoe quarters contest where he can land the traditional Mexican left hook to the body.

It’s a real 50-50 contest and one not to miss!