Andy Ruiz Jr has told Eddie Hearn he wants to take on Anthony Joshua for a third time after the Brit’s mega-fight with Tyson Fury collapsed.
Joshua was set to take on the Gypsy King in Saudi Arabia in August but the Gypsy King must now face Deontay Wilder after an arbitration hearing ruled he had a right to a third fight.
Fury’s bout with Wilder has been confirmed for July 24, while Joshua has been told by the WBO that he must face mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk.
Hearn has been told he has until May 31 to agree terms with the Ukrainian’s team before purse strings are called.
But the promoter insisted he would seek the best deal for Joshua, whether that be a clash with Usyk or another opponent, and listed Ruiz and Dillian Whyte as possible options.
He told iFL TV: “In an ideal world, if there’s good business to be done with Oleksandr Usyk, it’s got to be good business for him as well, that’s the fight next.
“I wouldn’t rule out any scenario at the moment for Anthony Joshua.
“We’ve probably got 10 days to decide what we’re going to do.
“There’s quite a few (options). If you’re going to America, he’s already messaged me, it’s like deja vu, Andy Ruiz.
“He messaged me on Instagram and said: ‘I’m ready, let’s do this, AJ v Ruiz three.’
“That’s a fight I think we’d be interested in, if you’re going to America, Luis Ortiz is another guy you could fight.
“If you’re doing the UK, I don’t know… Dillian Whyte, that’s a fight to make.”
Joshua reclaimed his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts by beating Ruiz in December 2019 after being shocked by the Mexican six months earlier.
The Brit had been the 1-25 favourite to win their first bout but Ruiz knocked him down four times on his way to a seventh round stoppage.
