After a shock defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr, Anthony Joshua is ready for a rematch which looks set to take place in New York in November or Cardiff in December.
Joshua, 29, lost his IBF, WBA and WBO world titles to Ruiz in New York on June 1 and invoked his contractual right to a rematch.
The dates that have been fixed are at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 14 or a return to Madison Square Garden on November 29.
A west coast city in the US has also made a late offer to stage the contest and two other unnamed countries have also bid for the fight.
The offers put forward in the late bids seems lucrative enough to merit discussions, though there is speculation the countries in question do not hold a substantial track record in staging high-profile boxing events.
Joshua’s team were keen to finalize a date for the bout last week but the offers from new countries have delayed them in confirming Cardiff or New York.
Cardiff is the only UK option because the Principality Stadium can offer a roof along with a large capacity during a British winter but Joshua is said to be keen on a return to Madison Square Garden, where his US debut was wrecked by Ruiz in one of heavyweight boxing’s biggest shocks.
American Ruiz, who fights under a Mexican flag as a result of his heritage, voiced his preferred venue to be Los Angeles or Mexico.
The 29-year-old’s comments and delays in confirming the rematch has led to speculation that the negotiations have stalled or the champion was contemplating trying to avoid Joshua.
But Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has said Ruiz would face legal proceedings were he to pursue another path.
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