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Home » Andy Ruiz Jr. vs Anthony Joshua 2 ‘in same guild’ as Ali

Andy Ruiz Jr. vs Anthony Joshua 2 ‘in same guild’ as Ali

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Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn has promised the fans an unforgettable night ahead of the hotly-anticipated rematch between unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua.

The pair, who previously traded blows in New York, head to the Middle East to settle the score once and for all in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Like the chances at winning at Top Casino Bonus, Ruiz is set to gamble on repeating his feat of June 1st.

The showdown will take place on the outskirts of the Saudi capital on December 7th. Construction is underway for the venue, which is expected to have a capacity of up to 16,000.

Saudi has recently dipped their toes into sports and entertainment with WWE’s Crown Jewell where Tyson Fury went toe-to-toe with Braun Strowman.

Now they have attracted another two heavyweights in Ruiz and AJ.

After the astonishing upset by Ruiz in the first battle, Hearn expects the second bout, dubbed ‘clash of the dunes’, to be an instant classic.

Eddie Hearn on Joshua vs Ruiz 2

“Well, what have we got here? The biggest fight of the year. The rematch: Andy Ruiz against Anthony Joshua, for the unified world heavyweight title. Who would have thought it, who would have seen it?

“Saudi Arabia, December 7th. Live and exclusive on DAZN across America. Live and exclusive on SkySport Box Office in the UK. And of course with all our broadcasters all over the world.

“On December 7, you will witness an event that you will never forget. Major heavyweight fights in the past where the venues have taken people by surprise. The ‘Rumble in the Jungle,’ the ‘Thrilla of Manila’. Trust me when I say that this event is of the same guild.

“On June 1, we brought a sold out Madison Square Garden to their feet with these two warriors. One of the best fights of the year, one of the great upsets of heavyweight boxing.

“Perhaps this man [points to Ruiz] didn’t believe it was an upset. But now the whole world is watching for the rematch. And it will be truly epic.

“June 1, 2019 was a day that will be forever etched in boxing history. Andy Ruiz caused one of the great boxing upsets of all time. He and Anthony Joshua engaged in an epic battle in front of a sold-out MSG.

“The noise about the rematch has been deafening: Will it happen? Where will it be? Who will win?

“Step up the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who will now host one of the biggest and most iconic boxing events of our generation.

Held at a 16,000-person purpose-built stadium that will stand within the UNESCO heritage site in Diriyah.

‘Clash on the Dunes’ will follow in the footsteps of the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ and ‘Thrilla in Manila.’

Heavyweight Landscape

The other titleholder Deontay Wilder defends his WBC crown against Luis Ortiz in a rematch on November 23rd.

Should the ‘Bronze Bomber’ come through, he is expected to then take on Tyson Fury in another rematch on February 22nd. This leaves the winner of Joshua-Ruiz with the likelihood of settling for a mandatory opponent with the WBO or IBF.

While Dillian Whyte awaits his shot at Wilder, Oleksandr Usyk and Kubrat Pulev will both be seeking a world title challenge in 2020 as they are No.1 in the WBO and IBF rankings, respectively.

Should Fury defeat Wilder then the duo will engage in a trilogy. This mean boxing fans may have to wait yet another year until the heavyweight division has one name, one face, one champion.