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Venue for Joshua vs Ruiz Jr showdown near completion (PHOTOS)

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Anthony Joshua set to square up against Andy Ruiz on June 1

The venue for the long-awaited fight between British boxer, Anthony Joshua and heavyweight world champion, Andy Ruiz Jr has been revealed.

The showdown is billed to hold in Saudi Arabia on the 7th of December, 2019, as Joshua will be seeking to win back all three heavyweight titles that he lost to his American opponents in June.

Joshua, who is of Nigerian descent, lost the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles after suffering a shock defeat in New York.

The 15,000-seat Diriyah Arena in Saudi only began in October – just two months before the fight, and reports say it was built by 175 staff and incorporates 295 tonnes of steel.

Read Also: Ruiz Jr wants to fight ‘good friend’ Wilder after Joshua rematch

Saudi Arabia was chosen to host the match ahead of rival proposals from Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and Dubai.

According to local sources, the Diriyah Arena will take a month to deconstruct after the bout, with 95% of the material being reused to stage other events.

Below are photos of the venue:

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