Hearn says rematch clause triggered

[leejonesjnr]

Venue TBA

[HomicideHenry]

Immediate Rematch..... I don't have a good feeling about that.... He should have taken time off, regrouped and then take it at a different time.... Remember when Price took the rematch with Thompson?

Ego is purely driving this rematch. You can't go into returns with that kind of mindset.

[leejonesjnr]

Won't be clear until it happens.
Dozens of rumours circulating about what was going on, only they know the truth.

[Boxerbeetle]

Interesting. Can argue it both ways really - could be better to jump straight back on the horse, but could be better to have a few confidence builders first. I suppose they’re also concerned about getting frozen out of the title scene, so will want to recapture ASAP.

Presumably it’ll be at the Millennium or the o2, given the time of year?

[DrDuke]

If Joshua loses, it will probably be good, because unifications will be easier to make without him. Ruiz gotta do it again and save boxing.

[paddy chavez]

I guess Eddie is scarred of being froze out if they don't take the rematch Ruiz could sign with ESPN or any other none DZNE network and all of a sudden none of Hearns fights could fight for the belts as it's in another channel .
And while Ruiz style wise is all wrong for AJ I do think AJ is better than he fought against Ruiz and hopefully this time AJ will take him seriously and fight smarter

[cormack]

US or UK ?

[Ricky]

Another schooling on the cards for AJ.

[HomicideHenry]

If Joshua loses, it will probably be good, because unifications will be easier to make without him. Ruiz gotta do it again and save boxing.

While it might make it easier to unify, I think the division takes a massive hit. Joshua was so hyped as this Superman character who was supposed to be the next Lennox Lewis or Mike Tyson.

If he loses again, you may as well say casual European fans are gone--- and you may as well say DAZN is in trouble, as is Matchroom. The heavyweight division will have lost it's biggest star, regardless of the fact most of us reasonable types begged people not to put all their eggs in the Joshua basket.

Besides, now that Ruiz is the champion he will have his own rematch clause. We'll see a trilogy if Ruiz loses. That'll push back hopes of a Fury-Joshua or Wilder-Joshua fight until 2020 if not 2021 because even if Joshua prevails the IBF (if they don't strip Ruiz) & WBO & WBA will demand having mandatories get a shot at Joshua rather than wait longer.

[tiny_acres]

Im just hoping for another fun fight.
I'll be pulling for Ruiz. He's an inspiration to us chubby guys

[ewenhay]

Huge pressure on Joshua now.

NO doubt that Matchroom will be pushing him to take the immediate rematch. Will be interesting to see how he copes as the date gets closer.

[tiny_acres]

If I was Ruiz I'd be pushing for the rematch as soon as possible.

[ewenhay]

If I was Ruiz I'd be pushing for the rematch as soon as possible.

Definitely. I'd be pushing for September in the States if I was him.

Will likely be November in the UK though

[MasterG]

Ruiz wants it in Mexico

[Boxerbeetle]

Dunno about you guys, but I’m going to be stuffing my face from now until the rematch to show solidarity with Andy

[ironbeard]

If they don’t take it, The Fat King of Boxing will just go do Wilder for that other belt in a massive stadium fight (likely in Dallas).

I would prefer that.

[rd350lc]

Ruiz wants it in Mexico

Can't see Joshua going there , or even fighting on foreign soil ever again .

[ironbeard]

Ruiz wants it in Mexico

Damned right!! Aztec Stadium.

[Spiker]

Can Hearn enforce a rematch or can Ruiz get out of it.? If not and I was Ruiz I would try to force him to the garden again where it went wrong or somewhere obscure

[Ruthless-RKO]

Immediate Rematch..... I don't have a good feeling about that.... He should have taken time off, regrouped and then take it at a different time.... Remember when Price took the rematch with Thompson?

Ego is purely driving this rematch. You can't go into returns with that kind of mindset.

He’s already been out 9 months.

[MasterG]

Can't see Joshua going there , or even fighting on foreign soil ever again .

Ruiz is champ doesn't he hold the cards now?

[HomicideHenry]

He’s already been out 9 months.

I know this. But, that's different. He thought nothing was wrong with himself. If he jumps right back in there 3-4 months from now he'll not change a damn thing. He'll not make the necessary changes.

Besides we don't know what kind of mental effect this has on him. What Hearn wants and what Joshua needs are two different things.

If I were his handler I'd allow Ruiz to defend the belts first to someone else, some fringe contender in his home state or Mexico. In the interim really prepare. Then enact the rematch clause.

[rd350lc]

Ruiz is champ doesn't he hold the cards now?

I would think big money will be paid to get him over here or I really can't see it happening .

[Nightmare Roy]

I think he’ll get smashed again, what happens then? Cheerio?

[ewenhay]

I think he’ll get smashed again, what happens then? Cheerio?

Yeah, they've elected to win or bust really.

Even Joshua's biggest fans would probably accept that back to back defeats against Ruiz would be a fatal blow.

You just hope this is what Joshua really wants and he isn't under pressure from management, promoters and TV companies