Hearn: Joshua and McCracken Will Learn, Improve and Reclaim!
Jun 4, 2019 • 5:33 PM ET
Anthony Joshua will get the chance to win back his IBF, WBA, IBO and WBO heavyweight titles in a rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr later this year.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn announced the contracted rematch clause was triggered on Tuesday and the second fight will take place in November or December, with a venue still to be confirmed.
The Briton suffered a shock first defeat of his career when he was stopped by Ruiz Jr in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden in New York at the weekend.
Joshua was on the receiving end of one of the biggest shocks in the history of heavyweight boxing on his United States debut.
He was knocked down twice in the third round and twice more in the seventh, forcing referee Mike Griffin to stop the contest.
Joshua had targeted a rematch straight after the defeat, calling the loss a “minor setback”.
Hearn revealed that the UK was the likeliest venue for the rematch.
"Rumors of a panic attack are absolute nonsense; he was ice on legs. Got knocked out in sparring? No he didn't. The build-up, the training camp, the organization - he's got 22 people in his team and every single whim is catered for. It's a very professional organisation. Absolutely zero excuses," Hearn told BBC Sport.
"The brain is a funny thing. You can tell yourself over and over again to not underestimate your opponent and maybe he did. The only person who knows that is Anthony Joshua himself.
"I think he will look at the way he fought, his tactics for the fight. He had a lot of physical advantages that he didn't utilise. I think he steamed in very raw when he got knocked down - he went for the kill. There's nothing wrong with that, but he was very reckless when he went in and he caught a punch in the third to the temple which gave him concussion and I don't think he was in the fight from then on. Joshua and Robert McCracken are very sensible guys. They will watch it back, mark where they went wrong, learn, improve and reclaim. Easy for me to say; tough for him to do."
