Will Deontay Wilder be ringside for Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr?
ANTHONY JOSHUA makes his long-awaited American debut early on Sunday morning, but it's safe to say boxing fans around the world aren’t focused on his latest opponent.
Anthony Joshua will defend his WBA (Super), WBO, IBF and IBO belts against Mexican-American Andy Ruiz at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
But most of the build-up has been dominated by the eagerly-anticipated heavyweight title unification fight with his WBC counterpart Deontay Wilder.
The entire boxing world is waiting for the pair to unify the division, though it looks like the multi-million-pound bout won’t take place until late 2020 at the earliest.
Given the fact Joshua will be fighting in America for the first time, many are wondering if Wilder be ringside for his rival’s stateside debut.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ hinted he’d take in Joshua vs Ruiz in person after brutally KO’ing Dominic Breazeale last month, saying: “I’ve got a lot of obligations to fulfill.
“If that date is open to me, you might see Deontay Wilder there. ‘When it’s a good scrap that people want to see, you might find me there.
“I think it will happen. It’s going to happen. I believe in all my heart it will happen.”
However, a few days after teasing his a potential face-off with ‘AJ’, Wilder revealed he won’t be in attendance at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
You might see Deontay Wilder there
Joshua, 29, understands the Alabama native’s decision to swerve the fight, telling IFL TV: “[He’s] probably busy, just had his fight.
“Just been in his training camp, had his fight, a lot of pressure on that. He probably doesn’t want to see a boxing ring for a little while. So I don’t blame the guy.
“He’s got his family hasn’t he, he’s got other stuff to do.’
When pressed for his thoughts on Wilder’s absence, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said: “He may not come because he’s already got another fight planned and it’s going to be awkward. But at the end of the day it’s all irrelevant, it’s only about Saturday night.”
Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz fight card
Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr - WBA (Super), WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight title bout
Callum Smith v Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam - WBC diamond and WBA (super) world super middleweight title bout
Khalid Yafai v Norbelto Jimenez -WBA world super flyweight title bout
Katie Taylor v Delfine Persoon - WBA, WBO, IBF and WBC world lightweight title bout
Chris Algieri v Tommy Coyle - WBO international super lightweight title bout
Josh Kelly v Ray Robinson - WBA international welterweight title bout
Joshua Buatsi v Marco Antonio Periban - Light-heavyweight bout