A much thinner looking Anthony Joshua says he’s now properly motivated to beat Andy Ruiz Jr., and he’s ready to become a two-time heavyweight world champion on December 7.
Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) states that Ruiz Jr. is only “digging his own grave” by his trash talking that he’s doing now.
Ruiz’s team is still in negotiations with Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn to discuss the venue for the December 7th rematch. Hearn has already announced that the second Joshua-Ruiz fight will be staged in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but Ruiz Jr. says he wants the rematch to take place in New York again.
According to Boxing News 24, it’s believed that Hearn will sweeten the deal by giving Ruiz a bump up in pay from the $9 million that he’s set to get. Just how much of an increase Ruiz Jr. will get is unclear. Obviously if Joshua is getting between $40 million to $90 million for the fight, it’s grossly unfair for Ruiz to be getting $9 million. If Joshua is getting $60 million, it makes sense for Ruiz to be getting at least $20 million for the fight.
“There wasn’t that real fire,” said Joshua to IFL TV in talking about his loss to Ruiz Jr. “The smack talk is only digging his own grave, because it’s a different kind of thing now. I want to show people the art of bouncing back, and that’s what this is for me. Whether they believe it or not, they can run with it, and take it as you please. I know what I need to do. I’m going to trust in my own instincts, and then become for the second time the heavyweight champion of the world. I’m going to be two time,” said Joshua.
“I took my ‘L’ like a man and I’m going to show people the art of bouncing back. That is what this fight is to me,” said Joshua. “I’ve got to resurrect myself and my spirit and re-enlighten myself. I’m going for the second time to become the Heavyweight Champion of the World.”
