Andy Ruiz Jr has revealed that Anthony Joshua verbally accepted a trilogy bout with him during a conversation between the pair last weekend. Joshua was handed the first defeat of his professional career against Ruiz Jr back in June 2019.
The Destroyer came in on one month’s notice to replace original opponent Jarrell Miller who had a pre-fight drugs test. After getting dropped by Joshua in the third round, Ruiz Jr came back to floor his adversary twice in the same round before closing out the show in the seventh with two fast flurries.
Six months later, Joshua comfortably outboxed Ruiz Jr from range in a low-output rematch to regain his world titles. The Mexican American weighed in at a career-heaviest 283.7lb – 15lb heavier than the first bout and looked sluggish throughout.
Ruiz Jr blamed his poor condition on ‘partying too much’ after the original win and has urged Joshua repeatedly to face him in a rubber match. Now, while both men were in Dubai watching Dmitry Bivol vs Gilberto Ramirez last weekend, they got a chance to catch up and talk about the possibility of a third fight.
The Watford powerhouse is set to make his in-ring return early next year, with March being the most likely month of choice. AJ had been scheduled to box on December 17 after negotiations fell through to stage the all-British showdown with Tyson Fury two weeks earlier.
However, with Joshua requiring more time to refocus his mind and perfect his craft after consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, the Brit delayed his comeback until next year. Ruiz Jr is unlikely to be his next opponent but could be a possibility for the back end of next year.
He faces Deontay Wilder next in a WBC final eliminator for a shot at Fury’s green belt.
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