Fans buzzing as ‘shredded’ Anthony Joshua shows off new look in Saudi Arabia ahead of Andy Ruiz Jr rematch

SHREDDED Anthony Joshua has left fans stunned after he showed off his new slimmed down physique in Saudi Arabia.

The former heavyweight king, 29, looked lean and mean when he met up with Andy Ruiz Jr ahead of their December 7 rematch in Diriyah.

SunSport told you last month how AJ fans were loving his new appearance, which left many saying he now looked like "a boxer instead of a bodybuilder".

Then, the 6ft 6ins Watford ace who normally weighs around 17½ stone, appeared to have lost a lot of the muscle he was carrying before.

And it looked much the same yesterday, with the previous mass monster looking lighter on his feet, with noticeably smaller shoulders and a less in-your-face chest.

One fan said: "Joshua looks a lot better now he's shedded the weight. Like he just wanted to pose for Instagram before."

A fellow user wrote: "Yes AJ. The 2014/15 lean, mean, hook-wielding, uppercut-throwing machine is back by the looks of things."

'BETTER WHEN NOT AS BIG'

Another commented: "Anthony Joshua cutting plenty of weight for his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr is absolutely what's needed."

A fellow user posted: "AJ appears to have lost some muscle mass which is great, he was better when not as big."

Another comment read: "AJ was way too heavy for the first fight. This time he's already shaved all that muscle off. Light work this time, he's going to ruin Ruiz."

One wrote: "Anthony Joshua has lost a lot of muscle mass, which he needed to do."

In reply to a photo Joshua posted, another fan said: "Brother looking lean... muscles disappearing. Thank goodness."

Snickers-loving Ruiz Jr - who weighs 19st - stunned the world when he beat Joshua in June to become the new IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champ.

But surprisingly, a perhaps more humble Joshua refused to give a prediction on how the rematch will go.

He only acknowledged that he would be "going to war" in what will be a "good night of boxing".

But Ruiz - who has had to deny he has partied too much after being pictured eating tacos off a Rolls-Royce - vowed to send Joshua crashing to the canvas once again and prove his first win was no fluke.

He 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."