Anthony Joshua has had his first look at the 16,000-seater purpose-built arena in Saudi Arabia, which will host his world title rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr.
Joshua’s clash with Ruiz Jr will be for the WBA, WBO and IBF world heavyweight titles he lost to the Mexican back in June at Madison Square Garden.
Ruiz Jr knocked Joshua down on four occasions en route to a seventh-round TKO in New York in one of the biggest shocks in boxing history.
But in just under two weeks time on the outskirts of Saudi’s capital Riyadh, Joshua will attempt to win his belts back.
Ruiz Jr headed out to the Middle East earlier this week to begin final preparations for the huge heavyweight clash.
And earlier, AJ arrived and immediately visited the arena which will hold 16,000 fans on December 7.
Eddie Hearn tweeted: “AJ touches down in Saudi! @diriyahseason @skysportsboxing @dazn_usa,” alongside a video of Joshua overlooking the stadium.
Joshua said earlier this week on his preparations: “We haven’t done anything differently mentally, I am a champion. I walked into the gym and three years later I was Olympic champion.
“I have had one loss but I am not about to become a p*ssy overnight and not be able to fight.
“I can fight, that is it, I don’t need to reflect on that, I just need to win.”
Ruiz Jr came out in the first fight with his fast hands and stunned a slow and lethargic Joshua.
“I don’t think he’s going to try, how can I say this, go head-to-head with me. But if he does, even better,” Ruiz Jr said.
The event is expected to be a sell-out in the desert, with promoter Hearn confirming that 6,000 Brits are travelling to the showpiece.
Joshua is hoping to become a two-time world heavyweight champion, the first Englishman to do so since Lennox Lewis did in the 1990s.
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