Anthony Joshua's opponent changed, but the mission remains the same — make a splashy United States debut.
That's exactly what the unified world heavyweight champion will look to do June 1, when he puts the IBF, WBA and WBO titles on the line against Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Garden, live and exclusively on DAZN. Ruiz replaces Jarrell Miller, who failed three drug tests to squander his shot at heavyweight gold.
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Well before the positive test results, Miller had boasted about being fueled by cheeseburgers. Well, Ruiz frequently claims that he's "powered by Snickers." Still, there's no doubting that he packs a punch.
"I think Ruiz punches with more intent to hurt," Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) told Sporting News. "And when you punch with intent to hurt, you punch with intention to slow your opponent down, so they're easier to hit. So, I think Miller was going to try to outwork me, muscle me, I think Ruiz is looking for that one shot knockout.
"I don't think he throws as much punches as Miller," he continued, "but he's more selective with his punch output."
For Ruiz, the fight definitely spells the opportunity of a lifetime — one that he fully intends to capitalize on, regardless of how rough it might get.
"I think the fight is going toe-to-toe, two guys smashing each other's faces," Ruiz said during a recent press release statement. "I'm going in there to throw combinations like I've never done before, to improve my speed. A lot of people underestimated me and I'm used to that. My whole life people underrated me, so I'm just going in there to take all. I'm not going in there scared and I'm not going in there nervous, I'm going to go in there mad and to take what's mine.
"I think being so tall he fights like a big robot," Ruiz said of Joshua. "I think with my style, my speed, my movement, I don't think he's fought anybody like me. It's going to be a whole different ball game."
Ruiz (32-1, 21 KOs) enters the bout, having made Alexander Dimitrenko quit on his stool between the fifth and sixth round on April 20. Joshua recorded a seventh-round TKO of Alexander Povetkin in September.
Perhaps both Joshua and Ruiz could look back to fight footage against Joseph Parker for further intel about each other. Ruiz lost to Parker via majority decision in December 2016 for the only blemish on his pro ledger. Joshua defeated Parker by unanimous decision in March 2018, with Parker being the only opponent to take Joshua the distance.
MORE: Who is Andy Ruiz Jr.? Joshua's next opponent really, really likes Snickers
When is the Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. fight?
Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. will take place Saturday, June 1. It will be Joshua's U.S. debut and his first fight in nearly nine months after defeating Alexander Povetkin on Sept. 22, 2018. Ruiz's last bout was in April when he stopped Dimitrenko. A start time for the Joshua vs. Ruiz card has not yet been announced.
How to watch, live stream Joshua vs. Ruiz
The Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. fight is not available via traditional pay-per-view methods. Instead, fans in North America can watch the fight by streaming on DAZN.
DAZN is available on a variety of platforms, including Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, iOS, Android, Xbox One, Playstation 4 and Playstation 3, as well as Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari browsers via DAZN.com.
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How much does the Joshua vs. Ruiz fight cost?
A new subscriber to DAZN can sign up for a monthly subscription or annual pass to watch the fight. The annual pass — which includes access to all of DAZN’s live events, as well as highlights, replays, behind-the-scenes features, original shows and live reports — is $99.99, which averages out to a little over $8 a month. For those who want a monthly plan instead of the longer-term value, fight fans can sign up for a monthly option for $19.99.
For current subscribers, the fight is already included as part of your plan.
Where is Joshua vs. Ruiz taking place?
Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz will fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This marks the first time in Joshua's boxing career that he's fighting at MSG. Ruiz is also fighting at the "World's Most Famous Arena" for the first time.
Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz betting odds
According to ProBoxingOdds.com, Anthony Joshua opened as a -2000 favorite, which means you'll need to bet $2,000 to win $100. Meanwhile, Ruiz is a +800 underdog, meaning if you bet $100, you could win $800.
MORE: Watch Gennadiy Golovkin vs. Steve Rolls on June 8 on DAZN
Anthony Joshua record and bio
- Name: Anthony Joshua
- Nationality: United Kingdom
- Born: Oct. 15, 1989
- Height: 6'6"
- Reach: 82″
- Total fights: 22
- Record: 22-0 with 21 knockouts
Andy Ruiz Jr. record and bio
- Name: Andy Ruiz
- Nationality: United States
- Born: Sept. 11, 1989
- Height: 6'2"
- Reach: 74″
- Total fights: 33
- Record: 32-1 with 21 knockouts
Joshua vs. Ruiz fight card
| Matchup | Class | Belt |
| Anthony Joshua vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. | Heavyweight | IBF, WBA and WBO |
| Callum Smith vs. TBA | Super middleweight | WBA |
| Katie Taylor vs. Delfine Persoon | Lightweight | WBA, WBO, IBF, WBC |
| Chris Algieri vs. Tommy Coyle | Junior welterweight | ... |
| Josh Kelly vs. Ray Robinson | Welterweight | WBA International |
