Boxing news: Joshua v Ruiz rematch on November 16 if in London, Fury could face Wilder next and Whyte to finally get WBC mandatory shot
ANTHONY JOSHUA is in line to rematch Andy Ruiz Jr on November 16 - if the fight takes place in London.
Plans for Tyson Fury to further enhance his profile in the US before rematching Deontay Wilder could be scrapped.
And instead the Gypsy King could find himself boxing the monstrous KO king in his next fight, after a two-round demolition job of Tom Schwarz.
Here's SunSport's boxing round up.
AJ'S NOVEMBER REMATCH
JOSHUA will rematch his conquer Ruiz on November 16 - if the fight takes place at Wembley Stadium or Tottenham's new home.
Speaking to iFL TV AJ's promoter Eddie Hearn revealed returning to the US is still in discussion, but due to the international break November 16 is the only date for the rematch to take place at Wembley or Tottenham’s stadium.
Hearn said: “We’re deep in the process of dates and venues. I think this week there will be a decision in terms of the dates. That period runs from November 16 - December 14 - that’s the window.
“From a UK point of view it’s Tottenham, it’s Wembley or it’s Cardiff. Obviously Tottenham and Wembley don’t have a roof, November 16 is the date in that respect.
“If it’s in Cardiff there are multiple dates, if it’s in London, Tottenham or Wembley that’s the date, the international break."
WILDER NEXT FOR FURY?
THE REMATCH between Fury and Wilder could take place this year, US promoter Bob Arum revealed.
Speaking to Helen Yee Sports veteran promoter Arum claimed an interim fight for Fury may not be needed, such was the success of his Vegas debut, and insisted if Team Wilder agree, the rematch could happen before 2020.
Arum said: “I think we have to really look at the situation and to determine it will be up to ESPN and FOX, maybe we go right to the fight now.
“I felt I needed two fights with Tyson Fury in order to really have the public take a look at him and realise what a phenomenal athlete and entertainer he was.
“But because ESPN did such a magnificent job in helping us promote this last fight with Schwarz maybe we can go right now into a Wilder fight.
“But that would depend again on how the other side feels about it, how FOX and PBC feel about it.”
WHYTE SET FOR WBC MANDATORY
DILLIAN WHYTE could finally be mandatory challenger for the WBC title if he beats Oscar Rivas - having spent 600 days as the organisation’s No1 ranked challenger.
Promoter Hearn told Sky Sports Whyte's clash with Rivas next month will have the “interim title” at stake - effectively securing the mandatory position for the winner.
Hearn said: "We know that the interim world title fight and mandatory position is there, it's just when, when does that mandatory happen?
"We will fight tooth and nail for Dillian Whyte on this. This week, it will be 600 days that he has been WBC No 1, it's incredible, he deserves justice.
"We are right now on the brink of making that happen. It's very, very likely that the Rivas fight will be a final eliminator and for an interim world title."
KHAN WANTS PACQUIAO
AMIR KHAN is eyeing a desert dust-up with Manny Pacquiao before he bows out of boxing.
Khan says he still has unfinished business with former Wildcard Boxing gym-mate Pacquiao and held talks with "top minsters" in Saudi Arabia, who could host the bout.
He said: “There’s always been talk about Manny Pacquiao and maybe we can get him in the ring this time. It would be a good way to finish.
“It’s one of the reasons I’m taking this fight now. I know there’s a bigger picture at the end of it.
“There could be a big name at the end of the year or early next year where we could be fighting one of the best fighters in the world and could be for a title fight.
“We had talks with the top ministers and Saudi Arabia is so behind boxing."
AJ PPV STATS
JOSHUA’S shock defeat on his US debut was just short of 500,000 pay-per-view buys, promoter Hearn revealed.
Hearn told iFL TV AJ’s first US fight, in the early hours of June 2 back home, was just shy of half a million PPV sells - way short of AJ's UK record of 1.5million.
The promoter said: “Good, solid. I mean not obviously the numbers you’d get at 10 o'clock.
“Not quite (500,000 buys) but not far off.”
As Hearn revealed Joshua’s US debut sold between the 400k - 500k mark - it means the fight does not rank in the top 10 UK PPV’s.
Joshua does, however, hold the record for most UK PPV’s sold - with his unification showdown against Wladimir Klitschko doing 1,532,000 buys.
