Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz in the works for June 1 at MSG

Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz in the works for June 1 at MSG

Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz in the works for June 1 at MSG

Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz in the works for June 1 at MSG

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Negotiations are said to be underway between IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) and Andy Ruiz Jr. (32-1, 21 KOs) for June 1 on DAZN and Sky Sports Box Office at Madison Square Garcia in New York.

Ruiz, #15 IBF, would be the replacement for American Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, a fight that was popped on three consecutive VADA conducted drug tests. The New York State Athletic Commission had a hearing to decide Miller’s case, and they rejected him for a boxing license. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has moved quickly to find a replacement. Hearn wanted to find an American to replace Miller, and Ruiz fits the bill. He’s perfect. Ruiz is a big upgrade from Miller. Hearn had wanted Luis Ortiz to take the fight with Joshua.

Last Saturday night, Ruiz Jr. destroyed 6’7″ journeyman Alexander Dimitrenko (41-5, 26 KOs) by a fifth round knockout on the undercard of Danny Garcia vs. Adrian Granados on Premier Boxing Champions on Fox at the Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, in California.

“Hearing @Andy_destroyer1 starts negotiations with Eddie Hearn tomorrow to replace Big Baby Miller for June 1st #boxing ,” Behind The Gloves said.

Ruiz isn’t from the New York are, so it’s unclear where most of the fans will be coming from for the Joshua fight. Hearn said that 10,000 British boxing fans will be making the trip from the UK to see the fight live on June 1. If that turns out to be reality, then it’ll be mostly Joshua’s fans packing Madison Square Garden on June 1. A better location for the Joshua vs. Ruiz fight would be at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

Hearn is/was considering 2012 U.S Olympian Michael Hunter. He recently signed the 31-year-old Hunter to his stable. If Ruiz doesn’t get the fight with Joshua, then Hunter would be the one that will very likely be the second option.

The Imperial, California native Ruiz has one loss on his record from a controversial 12 round majority decision to Joseph Parker in a fight for the vacant World Boxing Organization heavyweight title in December 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. This writer saw the fight, ad had Ruiz winning comfortably by an eight rounds to four score. It was an easy win for Ruiz or it should have been. The controversial loss cost Ruiz a world title. As close and as questionable as that decision was, the WBO should have ordered a rematch, because there were too many boxing fans that saw Ruiz as the winner of that fight. Parker was fighting in his hometown for that fight, so it’s not all that surprising that the judges gave him the victory.