This archive report was first published on 15 August 2019.
On 7 December, a rematch between Andy Ruiz Jr and Anthony Joshua was announced, with the fight set to take place in Saudi Arabia. However, Ruiz Jr has now denied signing a contract for the bout, stating that negotiations are still ongoing.
Speaking to ESPN in Mexico, Ruiz Jr said, "I have not signed anything yet, we are negotiating everything." When asked about the possibility of the fight taking place in Saudi Arabia, he replied, "They want to do it there but we have to see where we negotiate with my team. I would like it in New York again."
Ruiz Jr's comments come after promoter Eddie Hearn claimed that Joshua's team had already signed Ruiz Jr to fight in Saudi Arabia, citing a rematch clause in the original contract. However, Ruiz Jr's denial suggests that the situation may be more complex than initially thought.
The rematch is set to take place on 7 December, with organisers in Saudi Arabia reportedly offering a fee of Sh4.1 million ($40m) to host the event. However, the move has been met with criticism due to Saudi Arabia's human rights record, with human rights organisation Amnesty International stating that the move provides "opportunity for the Saudi authorities to try to 'sportswash' their severely tarnished image".
