Andy Ruiz: record, next fight and profile →
Andy Ruiz Jr. has thoroughly enjoyed himself since pulling off one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history. The newly crowned IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champion hasn’t been shy about showing off his new purchases throughout this three-month victory tour. A new house. A Rolls Royce. Expensive jewelry.
It wasn’t a fluke. That’s Andy Ruiz Jr.’s mantra now that he and Anthony Joshua are busy promoting their heavyweight championship rematch. The new IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champion can’t wait until he gets his opportunity to prove it December 7, when Ruiz and Joshua are set to fight again in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua believes that he needs to “expose” the flaws of Andy Ruiz in order to win their heavyweight showdown. Back in June, Ruiz captured the IBF, WBA, IBO and WBO heavyweight world title when he stopped Joshua in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Andy Ruiz knows it’s foolish to think that Anthony Joshua will enter their rematch with the same approach he carried into their first fight. The defending unified heavyweight titlist is also quick to remind the boxing world that there’s plenty of room for improvement on the winner’s side as well.
Joshua, Ruiz Saudi Arabia Press Conference - Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz, Jr. and Anthony Joshua OBE concluded their three-continent press tour today in London, following stops in the fight’s host city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, and New York on Thursday. The rematch between Ruiz and Joshua will stream exclusively on DAZN in the United States on Saturday, Dec. 7. (photos by Matchroom)
Anthony Joshua doesn’t need a sanctioning body’s title in his possession to still feel like a world champion. Of course, that won’t stop him from doing everything possible to reclaim the very belts he once held. The 2012 Olympic Gold medalist had to absorb the words “…former unified titlist” for the first time in public at the start of the three-city press tour for his Dec. 7 heavyweight title fight rematch with Andy Ruiz. The bout will take place in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, just outside the nation's capital and where the event’s first press conference was held on Wednesday.
Eddie Hearn, promoter for Anthony Joshua, says his boxer will not fall into a trap by listening to the words of WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. In a recent interview, Wilder said that he was willing to bypass the February rematch with Tyson Fury - and instead take on the winner of the December 7th rematch between Joshua and IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO world champion Andy Ruiz.
Eddie Hearn, promoter for heavyweight Anthony Joshua, explains that the British superstar has now got his fire back. This week, Joshua will go face to face with Andy Ruiz for the first time since their shocking contest from June. Ruiz captured the WBO, IBO, WBA, IBF world titles after dropping Joshua four times to secure a seventh round stoppage at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder believes Tyson Fury would step aside and allow him to take part in a full division unification. Wilder is slated to face Luis Ortiz in a rematch, likely on a date in November. Should Wilder win, he would then go on to collided with Fury in a rematch on a date in February of next year.
Barry Hearn, the head of Matchroom Sport, feels very confident that Anthony Joshua will get revenge on December 7th, when he faces Andy Ruiz in a rematch in Saudi Arabia. Ruiz captured the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight titles when he stopped Joshua in seven rounds on June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.