MONITORING DESK
\nWASHINGTON
\nAnthony Joshua will defend his heavyweight titles against Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden on June 1, the British boxer\u2019s promoter announced on Wednesday.
\nRuiz Jr, who will be bidding to become Mexico\u2019s first heavyweight world champion, replaces Joshua\u2019s scheduled opponent Jarrell Miller, who was barred from fighting after failing drugs tests.
\n\u201cThe chills — I\u2019m really excited for this fight,\u201d said Californian-born Ruiz, 29, in a statement released by Matchroom Boxing.
\nHe cited Mexican great Julio Cesar Chavez, a world champion in several lighter classes, and former heavyweight world champions Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.
\n\u201cThis is my chance to make history, I want to be one of those greats like Chavez, Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis. I want to be in that category.\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m going to bring the titles back to Mexico. I\u2019m going to be able to change my whole family\u2019s lives, my life and all my kids.\u201d
\nRuiz has won 32 of his 33 professional bouts, with his only defeat coming in a world title challenge against New Zealand\u2019s Joseph Parker.
\nJoshua, 29, who has won all of his 22 fights, will be fighting in the United States for the first time and defending his WBA, IBF, WBO belts.
\n\u201cRuiz is a different kind of challenge but one I embrace,\u201d said Joshua.
\n\u201cWe have worked in the boxing gym week on week and whomever is put in front of me at Madison Square Garden on June 1 will be dispatched in style. The rent will be collected.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MONITORING DESK WASHINGTON Anthony Joshua will defend his heavyweight titles against Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden on June 1, the British boxer\u2019s promoter announced on Wednesday. Ruiz Jr, who will be bidding to become Mexico\u2019s first heavyweight world champion, replaces Joshua\u2019s scheduled opponent Jarrell Miller, who was barred from fighting after failing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":62110,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n