Joshua preparing to face Ruiz Jr after positive discussions

Anthony Joshua is preparing to face Andy Ruiz Jr as a replacement opponent for his debut in the United States.

According to sources in the US, the American is the front runner to fight Britain’s four-belt heavyweight champion at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1 after Jarrell Miller was banned following a failed drugs test.

Ruiz Jr has won 32 of his 33 fights but was beaten on points by former WBO champion Joseph Parker in 2016.

Eddie Hearn is in Los Angeles promoting a fight between Humberto Soto and Jessie Vargas and talks there with 29-year-old Ruiz are said to have progressed well.

It was widely believed that Joshua would face one of Luis Ortiz, Mahmoud Charr or Michael Hunter, with Ortiz in particular arguably representing a sterner test for Joshua than Miller, who has never fought for a world title.

Ortiz challenged for Deontay Wilder’s WBC crown in March 2018, giving the American serious problems before eventually succumbing to a TKO defeat in the tenth round.

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The Cuban has since racked up wins over Razvan Cojanu, Travis Kauffman and Christian Hammer to climb back into the world title picture.