Joshua vs Ruiz Jr: Everything you need to know about world heavyweight title fight
Written by News on 02/06/2019
The next stage of world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s journey can begin with a bang if he dismantles challenger Andy Ruiz Jr on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
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Joshua must shine in his rite of passage at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of boxing, where he makes his US debut in the same ring that Muhammad Ali famously fought in.
“Saturday night is about positive energy,” Joshua said. “I can add my 11 years of boxing into one, and move into the next phase. I am a dominant force.”
IBF, WBA and WBO champion Joshua has appeared poised and calmer than usual as the days disappeared before his seventh world title defence, knowing that demolishing Ruiz Jr will unlock the door to supremacy on American soil.
The Mexican-American challenger brings deceptively quick hands and combination punches to the table but Joshua has promised to “engage” and “take a few”. Ruiz Jr’s only loss in 33 fights came against Joseph Parker by decision but Joshua won’t plan on hanging around for 12 rounds tonight.
He will be licking his lips at the opportunity to stamp his authority on the same hallowed ground where Naseem Hamed, Lennox Lewis and Joe Calzaghe ventured.
The ultimate goal remains luring Deontay Wilder into an undisputed world title fight that would pit two unbeaten champions against each other but, until boxing’s most desired fight can be agreed, Joshua must uphold his end of the bargain.
Joshua can be pipped to attaining the status as undisputed champion by Katie Taylor, the mercurial talent who continues to establish herself as one of the world’s greatest boxers of any gender.
Her remarkable career has already yielded five amateur world championships, Olympic gold and now IBF, WBA and WBO titles after 13 professional wins but the opportunity to add Delfine Persoon’s WBC belt to her haul is the biggest yet.
“This fight will involve heart and a great chin, and I have both in abundance,” Taylor said. Her opponent hasn’t been beaten in nine years and has reigned as champion for five years.
Callum Smith aspires to headline major stateside events and is chasing names like Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, but first must complete his first defence of the WBA super-middleweight title against Hassan N’Dam.
Unbeaten in 25, Smith most recently knocked out George Groves to win the World Boxing Super Series.
Two of British boxing’s rising stars are in action – Joshua Buatsi and Josh Kelly plan to take their prodigious careers to the next level – and victory in their first US outings against Marco Antonio Periban and Ray Robinson respectively will propel them into major fights.
Tommy Coyle, the former British and Commonwealth champion, takes on Chris Algieri – who has only previously lost to Amir Khan, Errol Spence Jr and Manny Pacquiao.
Watch Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from 10pm. Book it via your Sky remote or book it online here. Even if you aren’t a Sky TV subscriber you can book and watch it here.
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Ways to Watch
Sky remote
Press box office, select sports and events. Use the arrow buttons to highlight the event. Press select and the buy screen will be displayed. Press select to confirm your order. Enter your pin if prompted.
You can only record the event by using this method.
Or press the green button to book whenever you see a Joshua vs Ruiz Jr advertisement on screen.
Sky Q
Select ‘Sport’ on your menu and then select ‘Box Office’ within the sport menu at the bottom of 5/6 options.
Online
To book it to watch on TV, go to my.sky.com/orderboxoffice/. There is no surcharge for online bookings.
Streaming
Via PC / Desktop / Mac, NOW TV box, NOW TV Smart Stick, iPhone, iPad, Android phone or Android tablet.
You can book and stream the fight whether you’re a Sky customer or not – it’s your choice to watch via our dedicated website, via the Sky Sports Box Office app on your mobile or tablet devices, or via your NOW TV box or Smart Stick.
First, visit skysports.com/boxofficelive to book and pay. Then on fight night itself, you can either sign in to watch on the same website; download the Sky Sports Box Office App and log in to watch there; or access the stream on your NOW TV box or your NOW TV Smart Stick.
NOW TV
Simply purchase the fight at skysports.com/boxofficelive. Download the free Sky Sports Box Office app on your NOW TV Box from the App Store. Log in to the app using your Sky Sports Box Office account details, sit back and enjoy the fight.
Pub Finder
Speak to your local Sky Sports venue to find out about watching the event there. Go to pubfinder.sky.com for more information.
Cable customers
Virgin Media and TalkTalk customers, please contact your operator. Sky Sports Box Office terms apply. Booking fee may also apply.
(c) Sky News 2019: Joshua vs Ruiz Jr: Everything you need to know about world heavyweight title fight
