ARABIAN FIGHT
Andy Ruiz Jr promises to KO Anthony Joshua for a second time in Saudi rematch
ANDY RUIZ JR has promised to knock out Anthony Joshua again in their controversial Saudi Arabia rematch.
The Snickers-loving Mexican was a 25/1 underdog to beat AJ when they clashed back on June 1 – but he went on to provide one of boxing’s biggest ever shocks.
4
After flooring Joshua four times during their New York scrap, the fight was waved off in the seventh as Ruiz became the new unified IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champ.
And as the two boxers came face to face in Diriyah for the first time since that night, Ruiz, who has been ridiculed for his weight throughout his career, was adamant history would repeat itself.
The 29-year-old said: “I know Joshua is coming hard and will prepare, but so am I.
“It is going to be an exciting fight, two big heavyweights punching each other in the face.
“People saying I’m not training and taking serious, but come on, look at these belts.
“I am going to keep these belts back in Mexico. I am going to make history, same fashion as June 1 and prove everybody wrong.
“The hunger remains, I don’t want to be 15 minutes of fame, I want it to last, for a generation and to be a champion for more years.
“I have a good fighter next to me who is going to try take these belts, but god is with me and we will be training really hard for December 7.
“He is hungrier, he wants his belts back, so that gives me more motivation, more hunger.”
4
4
JOSHUA REFUSES TO GIVE PREDICTION
Joshua was surprisingly methodical during the first of three world press conferences, refusing to give a prediction how he saw the fight going.
He only acknowledged that he would be “going to war” in what would be “a good night of boxing”.
The decision to have the fight out in a country with a poor human rights record and where public executions is commonplace has been blasted in some quarters.
SunSport discovered that just for this year alone there have been 144 executions.
It is also illegal to be gay, to consume alcohol or to wear 'revealing' clothes.
And even 29-year-old Joshua admitted his surprise to be boxing out in Saudi Arabia.
HEARN PRAISES SAUDI ARABIA
The dethroned champ said: “I never thought I would be fighting outside of London or America, but it is a blessing to be here.
“I competed in the Olympics, and had been fighting all over the world
“Then I went to America and lost the titles.
“The belts go in the air we will fight again, this time around it’s not London, It’s not America, it’s Saudi Arabia.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn, for once, was forced to take a back seat as historic videos of the kingdom played out on screens before other dignitaries gave their opinions on the show.
But when he had his chance, Hearn was full of praise for the opportunity of having the rematch out in Saudi Arabia.
He added: “It is such a monumental occasion for our sport.
Most Read In Boxing
“Sometimes out sport is very narrow-minded.
“Now there is Saudi Arabia for boxing. You are not just bringing a fight to the kingdom, you are bringing the biggest fight to the kingdom.
“The people of Saudi Arabia, once they see this, will be addicted - they will be back.”
4
Eddie Hearn says that Anthony Joshua is going to be nasty when he returns to fight Andy Ruiz Jr
Topics