Cardiff favourite for Joshua-Ruiz II, says Eddie Hearn

Hearn: 'Joshua-Ruiz at Cardiff in front of 80,000 people would be something very, very special'

By Peter Gilbert

The rematch location for Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr will be revealed very soon, says promoter Eddie Hearn

Anthony Joshua is likely to face Andy Ruiz Jr in Cardiff when they meet for a second time, says promoter Eddie Hearn.

Joshua invoked his contractual right to a rematch after he lost his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles in shock stoppage-defeat to Ruiz at Maddison Square Garden on June 1.

Image: Andy Ruiz Jr dropped and stopped Anthony Joshua in seven rounds

The decision over the venue will be made this week with Cardiff favourite, although Hearn says The O2 - which on Saturday staged Dillian Whyte's heavyweight thriller with Oscar Rivas and in August will host Lomachenko-Campbell - is also an option.

"This week we will be letting Team Ruiz know the venue," Hearn told Sky Sports News. "Whether you hear it or not, well someone at Sky will hear it, but whether the wider media hear it or not, I'm not too sure how that announcement will work.

Watch highlights as Anthony Joshua is stunned by Andy Ruiz Jr

"Right now the front-runner is still Cardiff, a marginal front-runner, but seeing Saturday night at The O2 and the atmosphere, and seeing the response to this, we've had a record pre-sale at The O2 for Lomachenko-Cambell, I believe this fight will sell out today.

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"But seeing the support of the British public, I kind of start thinking to myself that Joshua-Ruiz at Cardiff in front of 80,000 people would be something very, very special."

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