Ruiz Jr vs Joshua II: Anthony Joshua receives reply to ‘clown’ comment from Lennox Lewis and Andy Ruiz Jr
Written by News on 15/08/2019
Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno and Andy Ruiz Jr have hit back at Anthony Joshua’s fiery “clown” claim.
Joshua said “I don’t respect” Lewis in AJ: The Untold Truth, available On Demand from 6pm on Thursday.
Lewis is the last undisputed heavyweight champion and, although he suffered upset defeats like Joshua’s to Ruiz Jr, he avenged both against Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman.
Lewis questioned Joshua’s trainer Rob McCracken prompting the recently-defeated heavyweight to call him a “clown”.
Lewis replied to the exclusive Sky Sports story by tweeting: “Undisputed wasn’t something I ‘worried’ about. It was something I went after until it was accomplished!
“Disappointed in AJ’s words.”
Joshua lost his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles, and the hope of facing Deontay Wilder to crown an undisputed champion, to Ruiz Jr in June.
He has the chance to regain those belts on December 7 in a rematch in Saudi Arabia, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Ruiz Jr has stirred the pot by replying to a Twitter post asking who would win a dream match-up between Joshua and Lewis.
“Lennox all day,” Ruiz Jr posted.
Frank Bruno, another former British world heavyweight champion who lost to Lewis, had his say on the feud.
“Young blood can always learn from those who’ve already trodden that path,” Bruno tweeted.
Heavyweight prospect Daniel Dubois posted: “Respect to Lennox Lewis.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn denied Ruiz Jr’s suggestion a rematch could land in the United States earlier this week.
“The contract for the rematch was signed prior to the first fight,” Hearn told Sky Sports. “They are both signed at the same time. There is no other contract.
“We have to let [Ruiz Jr] know the time, date and venue which we have done. That’s it.
“They are contractually bound for the rematch.
“There are no conversations between the two teams about not doing the fight. I don’t perceive a problem.
“He signed a contract with us that he was absolutely over the moon with, that gave him the opportunity of a lifetime. He will 100 per cent honour that contract.
“His choice is to have a legal battle that could put him out of boxing for years, or to defend his belts for a lot of money against a guy he has already beaten. There isn’t any doubt he will take the fight.”
Watch Anthony Joshua at his most brutally honest as he discusses his defeat to Ruiz Jr, the rematch and the conspiracy theories on AJ: The Untold Truth – On Demand from 6pm on Thursday, then on Sky Sports Main Event at 8.30pm on Saturday.
(c) Sky Sports 2019: Ruiz Jr vs Joshua II: Anthony Joshua receives reply to ‘clown’ comment from Lennox Lewis and Andy Ruiz Jr
