ANDY RUIZ Jr sat inches away from Anthony Joshua, looked deep into his eyes and called him a quitter.

Mexico’s first heavyweight world champion dropped the Brit four times on June 1 in New York before AJ spat out his gumshield and was stopped on his feet by referee Michael Griffin.

3 Andy Ruiz Jr gave it straight to Anthony Joshua - accusing him of conceding in their first fight as he knew he was in too much trouble

3 Anthony Joshua succumbed to defeat against then rank outsider Andy Ruiz Jr

Joshua, 30, insists the Canadian official was wrong to end his unified reign and that he was ready and willing to go beyond the seventh round.

But, on Sky Sports’ The Gloves are Off, Ruiz stated in his trademark soft voice that the 2012 Olympic hero swallowed the first defeat of his career when the going got too tough.

Ruiz said: “I think he quit because of the way it was going.

“I think he was out of it and didn’t know where he was at that moment. I think he quit.

“Would I have quit under that sort of attack? It depends on how hurt I was. But I don’t quit. If I fall, I fall.”

World title rivals Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury poured salt into Joshua’s gaping wounds by insisting he committed boxing’s ultimate sin.

But, having watched the Madison Square Garden massacre over and over again, the 6ft 6in powerhouse defended his honour better than his right temple that night.

'WHY DIDN'T I STAY DOWN THEN?'

Ahead of the December 7 rematch, AJ said: “I lost, the referee waved it off. I roll with it.

“I am a champion no matter what anyone says about me.

“If the conclusion is that I quit, why didn’t I just stay down? He hit me with a shot that I could not recover from but I still stuck in there.

“I got dropped four times and I just kept getting up.

“The only reason I didn’t walk out of the corner in the seventh round was because my gumshield was not in and I was waiting for the referee to put it in my mouth but he waved it off.

“The main thing is I am still fighting. It would be worse if I did not come back — that is true failure.”

Joshua and trainer Rob McCracken believe the Watford giant would beat pugnacious Ruiz nine times out of ten.

But the Mexican, still all smiles and niceties even when delivering criticism as hurtful as his left hooks, insists he has AJ’s number.

The 30-year-old said: “His style was perfect for me, the way he moves and carries himself in the ring.

3 Deposed champ Anthony Joshua says he would have stayed on his knees if he had wanted to give up in his surprise defeat against Andy Ruiz Jr Credit: Getty Images - Getty

“He is strong and big but none of that really matters.

“ I have been fighting since I was six years old, I have a lot of experience.

“I’ll always have his number. My ability, speed and movement mean I beat him ten times out of ten.”

AJ admitted just days before the fight that an opponent six inches shorter than him was his worst nightmare, yet he has given himself just six months to prepare for the sort of match-up Ruiz has faced for a lifetime.

And he admits he is plugging gaps, rather than rebuilding from scratch, in his bid to become a two-time world champion.

He said: “The loss was a mix of my mistakes and his skill but there are lots of things I have to work on and my style has to change.

“If I want the same result, I do the same thing in preparation. If I want a different result, I have to change my training.



'I'M BETTER THAN THAT'

That doesn’t mean change everything — I don’t have enough time to reinvent the whole plan — but there are certain leaks I would like to tighten up on.”

AJ impressed for the first two rounds on his US debut. He dropped Ruiz for the first time in his career in the third but seconds later, thanks to a left hook from the heavens, his world collapsed in on him.

Watching repeats has been a necessary evil, with the Englishman struggling to recognise the Adonis getting bowled all over the ring by the chubby longshot.

But he believes the gruelling viewings will ensure he resurrects his record and reputation in the purpose-built 15,000-seater stadium in the Saudi city of Diriyah.

He said: “I have watched it a lot of times.

“I look at it and think, ‘Come on man, I am better than that, what am I doing?’.

“But it is all good, I have accepted the loss.

Ruiz Jr vs Joshua 2 - Live stream, UK ring walk time, date, start time, TV Channel, undercard and betting odds for huge fight in Saudi Arabia

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“I don’t like doing too many interviews because it’s always about reasons for the defeat.

“But the better man won, he should enjoy everything that comes his way.

“Boxing is hard, I appreciate his hustle — but we are going to get it together and go again.”

Anthony Joshua arrives in Saudi Arabia ahead of Andy Ruiz Jr rematch as Brit visits newly built stadium for first time

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