Bu Victor Salazar
New York - It’s a big fight week in New York as Anthony Joshua (22-0, 21 KO’s) is making his stateside debut against replacement opponent Andy Ruiz (32-1, 21 KO’s). The two will square off this Saturday inside Madison Square Garden on streaming platform DAZN.
Joshua was set to face Jarell “Big Baby” Miller (23-0-1, 20 KO’s) but because of multiple failed drug tests, Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn had to move on. The fight was then offered to Luis Ortiz (31-1, 26 KO’s) and Adam Kownacki (19-0, 15 KO’s). Ortiz confirmed an offer of $7 million dollars was made to him. However Ortiz and his handlers could not come to an agreement on the fight.
Ortiz is now slated to fight Deontay Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KO’s) in a rematch - as announced by Wilder on his social media.
Reports from multiple outlets have the bout slated as a pay-per-view fight. When speaking to reporters at the Joshua-Ruiz undercard press conference, Hearn was flabbergasted at Wilder-Ortiz 2 but says he told us all.
“I told you from the beginning Wilder didn’t want the fight and I am glad the truth comes out,” Hearn stated.
“He’s been saying for weeks that he’s had an announcement plan and that was it. As soon as AJ goes on ESPN and says he wants to talk man to man but Wilder’s not his own boss. When he wants to sit down with us we will, until then, all that matters is Ruiz.”
When discussing the options for Wilder and Ortiz to fight Joshua, Hearn reiterated that he offered both Wilder and Ortiz the most money.
“Maybe people will start believing me when I say things,” Hearn said. “Wilder got offered the most money for the AJ fights and Ortiz did also. Wilder’s not making what DAZN offered in fights with Ortiz and Kownacki and whatever other fight he has lined up with Showtime. Ortiz and Kownacki aren’t making what we offered them for AJ. Maybe people will start believing us when we say we did everything to make the fight.”
Wilder-Ortiz 1 was on Showtime. This fight is rumored to be on Showtime pay-per-view. To that notion, Hearn stated, “It’s on pay-per-view? Oh wow, it’s not a bad fight but we know the outcome and to put it on pay-per-view, that’s a stretch. “
