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SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 8, 2019: American boxer Andy Ruiz Jr struggles in his bout against British rival Anthony Joshua to defend the IBO, WBA Super, IBF and WBO World Heavy Titles at Diriyah Arena outside Riyadh. Valery Sharifulin/TASS (Photo by Valery SharifulinTASS via Getty Images)
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SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 8, 2019: American boxer Andy Ruiz Jr struggles in his bout against British rival Anthony Joshua to defend the IBO, WBA Super, IBF and WBO World Heavy Titles at Diriyah Arena outside Riyadh. Valery Sharifulin/TASS (Photo by Valery SharifulinTASS via Getty Images)
Back in the 2019 summer, Andy Ruiz Jr. became an overnight star by annihilating the sturdy heavyweight, Anthony Joshua. He dethroned ‘AJ’ and cemented himself as the new heavyweight king. But the Mexican-American failed to sustain his momentum in the rematch against the Brit.
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He succumbed to a unanimous decision loss to Joshua and failed to retain his hard-earned heavyweight straps. Ruiz Jr. had a virtual chat with Joshua post the fight, which he revealed in an interview with Mail Online Sport.
He said, “There were a few messages. We were just saying that I’d bounce back, that I’m a great fighter. I have nothing but love for him. I don’t have no grudges.” (h/t Michael Benson)
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Andy Ruiz Jr. with a cut above his left eye during his fight against Anthony Joshua in their IBF, WBA, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Championship contest at the Diriyah Arena, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
Back when the duo engaged in their first tussle, nobody expected the ‘Destroyer’ to give Joshua a dreadful outing. He walked into this fight as an abrupt underdog and took the entire boxing world by storm.
In the rematch, an improved Anthony Joshua put on a clinical performance for full-fledged 12 rounds to claim a win over his foe. The pair shared a little beef with each other during their second contest, but ‘AJ’s words of wisdom for Ruiz Jr. brushed aside any feeling of enmity after the bout.
When will a trilogy between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. happen?
Ever since that loss, Andy Ruiz Jr. didn’t step inside the ring. On the other side, Joshua fought Kubrat Pulev in December 2020 and successfully defended his unified heavyweight belts.
He has now moved ahead to fight Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship for later 2021. Whereas, Ruiz Jr. will storm into the ring against Chris Arreola on May 1.
Citing the pertaining situation for both the pugilists, a trilogy between the two doesn’t seem to be on the cards for 2021.
However, a third fight can definitely happen once Joshua settles his dual showdown against the ‘Gypsy King’. Meanwhile, the ‘Destroyer’ will have to keep on winning to make himself viable for a massive trilogy in the future.
Just like their first two battles, a trilogy between the two will garner the attention of the entire boxing world.
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