Ruiz-Joshua rematch to be Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia
The heavyweight world title rematch between three-belt titleholder Andy Ruiz Jr. and former titlist Anthony Joshua will happen on Dec. 7 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing introduced on Friday.
Hearn was mum on every other particulars concerning the occasion — dubbed “Conflict on the Dunes” — for which there will likely be a information convention on Monday in London that may embrace Omar Khalil, the managing companion of Ability Problem Leisure, the group placing up tens of hundreds of thousands of to convey the struggle to Saudi Arabia.
Diriyah is a metropolis on the outskirts of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The bout will happen at a brief outside stadium that will likely be erected solely to host the struggle, a number of sources with information of the plans instructed ESPN.
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The choice to take the struggle to Saudi Arabia comes as a shock. Days after Ruiz’s huge upset of Joshua to take his world titles, Joshua exercised his proper to a right away rematch, and Hearn mentioned the bout would happen at both Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, or at New York’s Madison Sq. Backyard, the identical website because the struggle on June 1.
England’s Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs), 29, was torn between having the rematch on his turf in the UK or returning to New York to hunt revenge in the identical ring the place he received knocked down 4 occasions and suffered his first loss by seventh-round knockout in his United States debut.
Hearn anticipated the choice on the date and site to be set by the primary few days of July, nevertheless it dragged out for weeks as teams from different areas started providing offers to convey the struggle elsewhere.
In the long run, the group from Saudi Arabia agreed to place up extra far more cash than might be generated in both Cardiff or New York. Additionally, by going to a impartial location, it soothes Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs), 29, of Imperial, California, and the primary fighter of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight world title.
Ruiz, who had no enter into the location choice, has mentioned he was uncomfortable having the rematch on Joshua’s turf.
The struggle will likely be televised on Sky Field Workplace pay-per-view in the UK, which is barely two hours sooner than it’s in Diriyah, that means possible huge enterprise for the struggle in comparison with if it was in New York, which is 5 hours behind London, that means the bout would happen within the wee hours of the London morning.
The struggle possible will likely be streamed on DAZN in the USA, though that deal has not but been finalized, a supply instructed ESPN. DAZN, which carried the primary struggle, pressed for the rematch to be in New York however would pay eight figures much less with the struggle in Saudi Arabia than New York due to the seven-hour time distinction, the supply mentioned.
Whereas Saudi Arabia just isn’t a ordinary place for a significant struggle, it has hosted two notable bouts prior to now 12 months, luring them there with massive website charges.
In September, Callum Smith knocked out George Groves within the seventh spherical to win an excellent middleweight world title within the ultimate of the primary season of the World Boxing Tremendous Collection on the King Abdullah Sports activities Metropolis in Jeddah.
On July 12, fashionable welterweight Amir Khan knocked out Billy Dib within the fourth spherical on the identical website.