Wednesday 5 June 2019 06:44, UK
Eddie Hearn has confirmed that Anthony Joshua has triggered a rematch clause with Andy Ruiz Jr, with the fight set to take place in November or December.
Joshua suffered a shock defeat for the first time in his professional career on Saturday at the hands of Ruiz Jr on his US debut at Madison Square Garden in New York.
In the aftermath of the seventh-round loss, his promoter Hearn said that Joshua's team were keen on enforcing a rematch in a bid to regain his heavyweight titles and that they wanted to stage the second fight in the UK.
Now Hearn has confirmed that a rematch clause has been activated after meetings with Joshua's team in New York.
"After meetings with AJ, Rob Mc (Rob McCracken, coach) and the management team in NY, we have today triggered the contracted rematch clause with Ruiz Jr," he tweeted.
"The fight will take place in Nov/Dec at a venue to be confirmed shortly."
Ruiz Jr earlier admitted that Mexico is his desired location for a rematch with Joshua.
"I'd love to do the rematch but first I've got to talk to my team, we'll go from there and figure things out," 'The Destroyer' said.
"I'd love to be in Mexico, there's never been a heavyweight champion in Mexico so I'd love to have a rematch there.
"I'm still pinching myself that this is true, all that hard work and dedication, I've made my dreams come true. We've been working for this my whole life, it's overwhelming and I'm just excited."
