Anthony Joshua has the chance to reclaim the world titles he lost in June when he takes on Andy Ruiz Jr in a rematch later this year.
AJ will get his contractually obliged rematch, but we still do not have a solid date or place where this will happen.
The Watford-born heavyweight lost his IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA (super) heavyweight titles to the Mexican-American in New York and there had been rumours that AJ was lobbying to go back to the scene of his first defeat to truly right that wrong.
Matchroom boxing kingpin Eddie Hearn stopped by talkSPORT studios today with Luke Campbell and Vasyl Lomachenko – who will do battle at the O2 on August 31 – and spoke to us about a few boxing topics.
Chief among them was where AJ’s rematch with Ruiz Jr will be. Does Joshua really want to return to Madison Square Garden?
“No, I don’t think so. The problem with AJ is, he doesn’t care,” Hearn said. “He just sees it as a ring. So I’ll say ‘look, we’ve got to make a decision’ and he’ll say ‘yeah, wherever you want it’. And I’ll say ‘No, but you’ve got to make the decision’ and I don’t want to be the guy making it and he’ll say ‘No, seriously, I don’t mind’.
“There’s more money in New York, but it would be amazing to bring it to the UK. And, I think the general consensus of the training team is ‘no, do it in the UK. What are you even thinking about?!’ Because it’s not about the money. He doesn’t need the money. It’s about winning the fight, it’s about the occasion, where is he more comfortable. He says, honestly, a ring is a ring. But honestly, right now, Cardiff [on December 14] looks like the frontrunner.”
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will be live at the talkSPORT studios next Friday on the Jim White Show, but if you can’t wait till then to hear from one of the biggest names in boxing you can catch the Bronze Bomber in the flesh at the famous ICC Arena in Birmingham on July 27 for his UK tour with Showfighter and Gold Star. talkSPORT will be in attendance so for more details head to eventbrite.co.uk and you can get your tickets From showfighter.co.uk
