By George Aluo, with agency reports
The new Mexican boxing sensation that floored Anthony Joshua last week in America, Andy Ruiz says he won’t settle for anything less than 40 million pounds (about N20bn) if he is to fight AJ in UK in a re match later this year.
Joshua, it would be noted, activated his rematch clause with the new champion just a few days after suffering a humiliating defeat to the Mexican heavyweight.
While Eddie Hearn claims Team AJ have final say on when and where the rematch is staged, Ruiz warned Joshua he will not come to the UK if his purse demands are rejected. ‘
‘Right now my team, they’re negotiating everything right now. I’ve just got to stay busy, stay healthy and be ready for the rematch,’ he told Fight Hub.
‘I’d love it to be here in the United States or in Mexico you know. It all depends on the team and what they negotiate.
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‘If they want me to go over there, they’ve got to give me $50million. If they want to come over here…It’s just negotiations you know.’
Ruiz reportedly earned around £5m for the first fight at Madison Square Garden, while Joshua pocketed around £20m for his bow in America.
Joshua is determined to gain revenge over Ruiz and reclaim the three world titles he handed over to the new champion. Ruiz has become a household name in America almost overnight, appearing on the Jimmy Kimmel Show after his epic underdog victory. Joshua is now left to lick his wounds, with some critics even urging the 29-year-old to sack his long-term coach, Rob McCracken.
Conspiracy theories have been swirling that Joshua was knocked out in sparring ahead of the Ruiz fight and that the beaten champion suffered a panic attack in the dressing room just before his walk-out. Joshua and Match room boss Hearn have rubbished those reports, and insist there is only one person to blame for his first pro loss. ‘I have to take my loss like a man. No blaming anyone or anything,’ Joshua said. ‘I am the one who went in there to perform and my performance did not go to plan. My game plan didn’t go to plan.’
