Ginny Fuchs Fights Through Compound Fracture, Outpoints Adelaida Ruiz On Pacheco-Sulecki Undercard

Ginny Fuchs waited far too long, to where nothing was going to deny what she believed was her destiny.

Not even something as trivial as a compound fractured thumb.

The 2020 U.S. Olympic boxing team captain fought through the severe injury to dethrone interim WBC junior bantamweight titlist Adelaida Ruiz. Fuchs prevailed via split decision in their DAZN opener Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

“I felt it the first round, it was a hook,” Fuchs told DAZN’s Chris Mannix. “I thought I just jammed it. Then I took off my glove and I was like, ‘Oh shit.’”

Scores were all over the place for their ten-round bout. Judge Jerry Cantu awarded a 97-93 score to Los Angeles’ Ruiz. Judges Martha Tremblay (97-93) and Fernando Villareal (a laughable 100-90) scored for Fuchs.

The differences in skills and fighter backgrounds were immediately evident. Fuchs used constant in-and-out movement and threw punches from several angles. Ruiz is a brawler by trade and remained in the pocket for much of the fight.

Fuchs’ footwork was the difference in a razor-thin opening round. Ruiz enjoyed success with her left hook over the straight left hand of Fuchs. The more telling blows were landed by Ruiz but she was also outworked during most exchanges.

A demand to double up both on her jab and straight left hand were the specific instructions offered in Fuchs’ corner. ‘The Captain’ soaked in the advice and carried it out in the ring. She threatened to pull away early before Ruiz connected with a right hand and left hook at the end of the fourth.

The sequence served as a much-needed momentum shift for Ruiz, who enjoyed mid-round success. Her uppercut and left hook landed with regularity, as there was swelling around Fuchs’ right eye.

Fuchs regained control in the seventh and eight rounds, largely upon her return to punching from angles. Ruiz rode out a stiff jab by Fuchs and responded with a crisp uppercut at close quarters in the ninth. Fuchs boxed from the outside for most of the tenth and final round, of the belief that she’d done enough to win the fight.

She was right, on two of the three cards.

“I thought I won,” insisted Fuchs. “I landed the cleaner shots. She’s definitely the toughest fighter I’ve ever faced.”

Fuchs (4-0, 1 knockout) was credited with landing 154-of-497 punches (31%) according to Compubox. Ruiz (16-1-1, 8 KOs) landed 123-of-460 punches in her first defeat. She held the interim title since 2022 but attempted her first defense.

The win should earn her the right to challenge full WBC junior bantamweight titlist Asley Gonzalez (16-2, 7 KOs). Fuchs will have to rest and heal her severe wound before she pursues that avenue. Given that she was unaware who owned the full title, it won’t matter who she fights once she recovers. All that will matter is the opportunity to actually fight.

“I just want to keep getting belts,” stated Fuchs. “Honestly, I don’t even know who holds the other belts in the [115-pound] division. But whoever they are, I’m coming for them all.”

Fuchs-Ruiz opened a five-fight DAZN show headlined by the Diego Pacheco-Maciej Sulecki super middleweight bout.

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