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Ruiz will beat Joshua in rematch, says Wilder

Anthony Joshua will lose his rematch against heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr, according to Deontay Wilder.

By Opta
Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua rematch has been set for December 7 in Riyadh

New York, August 23: Anthony Joshua will lose his rematch against heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr, according to Deontay Wilder.

Ruiz was a late replacement for Jarrell Miller when he pulled off a huge shock and stopped Joshua in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden in June to claim the IBF, WBA and WBO straps.

The rematch has been set for December 7 in Riyadh and WBC belt-holder Wilder is anticipating a repeat result.

Asked who will win the second encounter, American Wilder told BBC Sport: "Ruiz in my opinion. I feel Joshua does not know how he lost, and that means he will not know how to set up a proper training camp - but anything is possible.

"Boxing is an amazing sport and you just do not know what is going to happen. That is why I love it.

"I saw Ruiz punch Joshua in the temple and it knocked his equilibrium out. He could not recover and that meant he got knocked down four times. When you are in a situation where you have not been before, it is like life teaching you a lot of lessons on the job.

"At that moment on the job for Joshua, he had to learn and could not pull through. But having fallen this time in life, the next time he might pull through because he has experienced it before and he should be able to correct the wrongs."

Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn said Ruiz, who refused to fight Briton Joshua in the United Kingdom, is contractually obliged to take part in Saudi Arabia after the champion stated on social media he would not be heading to the Middle East.

Wilder said: "As far as location is concerned, they need to have a neutral venue, one that not only satisfies the fighters but the fans too.

"It should be somewhere people have knowledge about, it is too late to figure out the history of a country. Will it be safe? God forbid, if anything happens to someone or their family. I can understand why Ruiz does not want to go there."

Wilder will defend his title against Luis Ortiz, though a date and location is yet to be announced, and is then set to have a rematch with Tyson Fury before attempting to unify the division.

"Ortiz is definitely happening. I am looking forward to fighting him. After I knock him out I will go to Fury, knock him out and then we will go for a unification," Wilder said.

Story first published: Friday, August 23, 2019, 14:59 [IST]
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