Vengeful Anthony Joshua quipped there should be a super heavyweight division for his boxing rival, following their official weigh-in.
Joshua and Ruiz Jr will run it back this Saturday as they star on the much-hyped Clash on the Dunes in Saudi Arabia, with the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles on the line.
The British boxer is looking to bounce back from his disappointing knockout loss last June while the Mexican champ seeks to pull off another upset.
On Friday, the heavyweight pair have weighed in for their rematch, with Ruiz Jr coming in three stones heavier than Joshua.
https://twitter.com/AllOfTheBelts/status/1202948245074403330
Confident
Slimmed down for the rematch, AJ recorded his lightest weight in five years as he weighed 237 lbs (16st 13 lbs), which is also under 11 pounds lighter than the first fight.
Meanwhile, Ruiz Jr. is on his heaviest weight in ten years, tipping the scales at 283 lbs (20st 3lbs), or 15 pounds heavier than the June 1st showdown.
Despite the defending champion weighing in three stones heavier, Joshua is not showing any sign of concern and is confident about his chances on reclaiming his titles.
“Not really, he’s a big lad,” Joshua told Sky Sports Boxing.
“They should make a super-heavyweight division. It’s a vast difference. The art of the game is to hit and not get hit. I will definitely be beating him to the punch.”
“He’s a big lad, I’m a big lad, and we hit hard regardless. The physical stuff is done. It’s about the mental now. Aligning my body and my thoughts.”
“I will be victorious. Within myself, I am confident. But I have to prove it to the world.”
“I feel good. The weigh-in is important but, as heavyweights, it doesn’t matter because skills pay the bills.”
#RuizJoshua2 rematch weigh-in results:
Andy Ruiz Jr – 283lbs
Anthony Joshua – 237lbsRuiz 15lbs heavier than first fight.
AJ 10.8lbs lighter than first fight.Ruiz's heaviest in 10 years.
Joshua's lightest in 5 years pic.twitter.com/Iedrp8wIKl— Against The Ropes (@ATRboxinguk) December 6, 2019
Fight Purse
Joshua will march into the rematch as the favourite just like the first fight and is set to earn the biggest fight purse for a British boxer in the history of sport.
According to a report from Daily Star, AJ will take home £46 million, surpassing Ricky Hatton’s fight purse in 2007 against Floyd Mayweather at £20 million.
While the British boxer will receive a historic paycheck, the defending heavyweight champion will earn just under £10 million for the rematch.
“When I had that second chance at life when I was getting in trouble, I just dedicated myself. I said I would put myself on a 15-year prison sentence to boxing and have that focus.”
“Same thing with Ruiz, give me a second chance and see what I can do,” Joshua said.
Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua II, billed as Clash On The Dunes, is an upcoming heavyweight professional boxing rematch between the Mexican-American . the unified WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight world titles.
Date- Saturday, 7 December, 2019
Location: Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia pic.twitter.com/TmobEHBcQU— Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua II 2019 (@joshuavsruizII) December 2, 2019
(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Anthony Joshua and Twitter/All of The Belts)