Heavyweight boxing has had a few twists and turns in the past 24 hours.
In the US it is claimed Dillian Whyte was informed three days prior to his bout with Oscar Rivas that he’d tested positive for a banned substance in a UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) test.
Eddie Hearn, though, has insisted Whyte and Rivas passed all VADA and UKAD testing ahead of their bout at London’s O2 and were cleared to fight each other.
However, Andy Ruiz Jr, the IBF, IBO, WBA (super) and WBO heavyweight champion of the world, has seen the news and declared he will NOT agree to a rematch with Anthony Joshua in the UK.
In a few tweets, the Mexican-American stated it would be a ‘set up’ and clearly believes Whyte being able to fight following his alleged failed drugs test is wrong.
Hearn has already told talkSPORT Cardiff is the front-runner to host the bout and has already suggested Ruiz Jr would encounter all kinds of legal problems if he didn’t face Joshua in a contractually-obliged rematch.
Asked if the Whyte news had genuinely put him off fighting in the UK, Ruiz Jr said: “At the end of the day I just want a fair playing ground. The fact that Rivas had no idea about it is a bit sketchy. I will and want to fight AJ next no ifs or maybes about that.”
Whyte became the mandatory challenger to Deontay Wilder’s WBC belt with his unanimous victory over Rivas last Saturday, but it’s not known at this stage what the ramifications of a failed test are and how quickly it will be resolved.
As it stands, the first-ever Mexican-American heavyweight champion is expected to face Joshua in December.
