Anthony Joshua wants trilogy fight against Andy Ruiz Jr… but his promoter Eddie Hearn is dead against it

ANTHONY JOSHUA wants to complete his trilogy with Andy Ruiz Jr – in a fight promoter Eddie Hearn is dead against.

AJ was first stunned by the Mexican-American underdog in June 2019 but won the rematch six months later.

But the pair never completed the trilogy decider, leaving the door open for a third fight.

Joshua, 33, is considering his next opponent for his comeback bout in early 2023.

And he held talks with Hearn while in Abu Dhabi, where Dmitry Bivol, 31, beat Mexican Gilberto Ramirez, 31.

Deontay Wilder, 37, and Dillian Whyte, 34, are among the frontrunners, but AJ also likes the sound of Ruiz, 33.

Hearn said: “Definitely, I mean, (Wilder) was one of the names I mentioned to him tonight.

“I’m not just saying it, but I couldn’t say a fight to AJ that he doesn’t go. He said tonight about Andy Ruiz. 

“I said have you seen Andy Ruiz over there, he went, ‘Yeah, I’d love to fight him again’.

“I was like, ‘Why? You’re not fighting him again!’.  He was like ‘Why not?’ and I went ‘F*** off’. He’s horrible!’”

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Hearn added: “He saw Jalavov and said ‘I’d love to fight him’ and I go, ‘Why? He’s about 4-0!’

“He just wants to fight everybody. It’s just the case of whether he has.

“And it wouldn’t be an easy fight, but an easier fight before he goes into a Deontay Wilder or a Dillian Whyte basically.”