By Amosu Adeboye, LAGOS
The highly anticipated heavyweight boxing rematch clash between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz will take place in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, December 7.
Ruiz Jr (33-1, 22 KOs) stunned Joshua to capture his IBF, WBA and WBO titles in one of the biggest heavyweight upsets of all time at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1.
On that night, ‘The Destroyer’ created history by becoming the first boxer of Mexican heritage to be crowned world heavyweight champion.
The California-based Mexican headed into his second world title shot as a huge underdog but proceeded to shock the world by flooring Joshua four times en route to a monumental seventh-round stoppage win that halted Joshua’s quest to become the undisputed heavyweight king.
Joshua (22-1, 20 KOs) will attempt to regain his world titles and become a two-time heavyweight ruler after tasting defeat for the first time in his professional career on his US debut.
The Nigerian-born Briton had won all 22 of his previous bouts before surrendering his titles to Ruiz Jr in what he described as a “minor setback”.
Uninterested in a low-key comeback fight, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist will jump into an immediate rematch with Ruiz Jr on neutral ground as he looks to reclaim his position as the No 1 heavyweight and continue on his journey to becoming the undisputed king.
