Ruiz Jr vs Joshua: Oleksandr Usyk to scout world heavyweight title fight from ringside
Written by News on 18/10/2019
Oleksandr Usyk will watch Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua from ringside as his challenge to the winner looms.
Book Taylor-Prograis and Chisora-Price
The brilliant Ukrainian won his heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon at the weekend and is the mandatory challenger to the WBO belt that, along with the IBF and WBA, will be decided in the rematch between Ruiz Jr and Joshua on December 7, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
“He will be out in Saudi Arabia to watch that fight,” promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed.
Usyk warned the winner of Ruiz Jr vs Joshua that he plans an immediate challenge in early-2020, saying: “I am ready to fight them. If they are going to [offer] it to me, of course I am going to take it.”
The former winner of an Olympic gold medal, the World Boxing Super Series and the undisputed cruiserweight title has no intention of wasting time with another fight before challenging for the heavyweight gold, Hearn explained.
“The instructions to me are: ‘world heavyweight championship next’,” said Hearn.
“It wouldn’t hurt to have one more. But they say: ‘we have won every belt at cruiserweight, we have had our heavyweight warm-up, we are ready’.
“My message is straight to the world title.”
Usyk weighed-in for the first time as a heavyweight at 15st 5lbs, more than two stone lighter than Joshua and nearly four stone lighter than Ruiz Jr.
But he explained that his physique may continue adapting to his new division. He said after last Saturday’s win: “I will add more weight. It is no problem to add more weight.
“The problem is speed. We need to add weight properly, the right way, because we don’t want to lose boxing skills.”
Joshua, meanwhile, plans to sharpen his skills by sparring Derek Chisora today.
“That is great sparring for both,” Hearn said.
Chisora fights David Price next Saturday before Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor’s world super-lightweight unification fight, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Hearn continued about Joshua and Chisora preparing together: “The difference in this camp is the quality of sparring – replicating Ruiz Jr’s style. It is a unique style and not many people can do it.
“I’ve seen pictures of Ruiz Jr – he looks lighter but I don’t know if they were photo-shopped!
“There are plenty of hard rounds of sparring to go but AJ is a good place, he’s just turned 30.”
(c) Sky Sports 2019: Ruiz Jr vs Joshua: Oleksandr Usyk to scout world heavyweight title fight from ringside
