It’s now t minus one month until Joshua’s debut in America. The trouble is he is also minus one opponent, his loquacious adversary having failed three drug tests.
Luis Ortiz won’t be facing WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on June 1st (unless there is a dramatic, unforeseen u-turn; Ortiz’ people recently saying no to promoter Eddie Hearn’s “low-ball offer”), but Hearn says the fight can still happen, after June 1.
Though it’s too early to say for absolutely certain, it really is looking as though Anthony Joshua’s replacement challenger on June 1 will be Mexican/American Andy Ruiz Jr.
Once-beaten heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz returned to action and winning ways last night, as the fast-handed “Destroyer” took out Alexander Dimitrenko in style.
Former two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia (35-2, 21 KOs) dropped Adrian Granados (20-7-2, 14 KOs) three times before stopping him in round seven Saturday night in a welterweight showdown that headlined Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Danny Garcia 146.8 vs Adrian Granados 146
Andy Ruiz Jr 262 vs Alexander Dimitrenko 259
Brandon Figueroa 121.2 vs Yonfrez Parejo 120.5.
All-action welterweight Adrian Granados and heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. continued preparation for their respective showdowns at a media workout in Los Angeles Thursday before they step in the ring Saturday, April 20 as part of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Former WBO heavyweight title challenger Andy Ruiz Junior, last seen pounding out a wide decision victory over the rarely stopped (as in twice) Kevin Johnson back in July, is all set return to action for just the third time since his closer than close decision loss to Joseph Parker.
Last seen coming oh, so close to decisioning Joseph Parker in a clash for the vacant WBO heavyweight crown, Andy Ruiz Junior, who fell short on the cards after 12 interesting rounds in New Zealand back in December of 2016, is set to return to the ring in March.
“Ruiz has the fastest hands since Ali,” Hughie Fury ready to “take all these champions,” Scott is “a Bentley who can outbox Ortiz”
Today’s heavyweight division may be plenty muddled as far as the man on the street knowing who the world champion is goes (we could soon have as many as six champs, all of them holding a belt of some kind) – but there is no shortage of action.