Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr: Amir Khan says immediate rematch is heavyweight’s ‘worst mistake’

Khan is making his own return from knockout defeat against little-known opposition rather than stepping back into elite level

Amir Khan has warned Anthony Joshua that he could be about to lose friends and contracts while describing the idea of an immediate rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr as ‘the worst mistake he could make’.

The dust is still settling on Saturday’s stunning Madison Square Garden encounter, when underdog Ruiz relieved Joshua of his WBO, WBA and IBF​ heavyweight titles via a dramatic seventh-round stoppage.

But Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has already revealed that they will opt for an immediate rematch with Mexico’s first ever heavyweight champion with the pair due to clash once again this winter.

“When I heard he was doing that I thought it was the worst mistake he could make,” Khan said. “Look, first of all, Ruiz will be full of confidence going into this fight and you’ve got Joshua who will be a little bit on the edge and on the back foot knowing that he can be hurt and put down.

“I think it’s a very bad to take back-to-back and I can’t believe Eddie is putting him straight back into the mix with him. I think he needs a nice easy knockout win – maybe two – and then have the rematch.”

There are few boxers in Britain who can truly empathise with how Joshua has been feeling since referee Mike Griffin waved Saturday’s clash off – but one of them is Khan.

Before Joshua had ever even wandered into the Finchley ABC, Khan was the darling of British boxing having claimed the silver medal as an unheralded 17-year-old lightweight at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

He then made quick progress as a professional, racking up a perfect 18-0 record within three years of turning over but the country was stunned when he was blasted out in just 54 brutal seconds by Breidis Prescott in September 2008.

Khan’s life was turned upside down by the defeat and he believes Joshua will now be feeling the same despite putting on a brave face since the weekend.

Andy Ruiz celebrates with the heavyweight belts (AP)

“Joshua seemed to be quite chilled and he came across well after the fight but mentally you are upset,” Khan added, “It kills you, to bits.

“You might not show that – you might be so straight-faced and strong that you might not show it. But deep down, he must be in bits, definitely.

“He was the heavyweight champion but I bet he cried that night. When you’ve lost all them titles it’s like you’ve lost your babies.

“With me, I lost friends. Friends who were big supporters of mine turned around and said I was finished. People stop answering your calls, the big contracts leave you. I had contracts with Reebok, who were paying me a lot of money, and they just washed their hands of me. They said ‘see ya later’.

Anthony Joshua was knocked down four times in the bout (PA)

“Mate, it happens too quickly. That’s why boxing is the hardest and most brutal sport. If you lose in boxing they throw you under the bus.

“Even though you’re more upset than they could ever be, they are the cherry on top by taking things away from you. Then people talk shit about you.

“Anthony will tell you himself, it’s a very dark place when you get beat. It doesn’t make it easier when your friends desert you and only a handful of people stay with you. I saw it after the Canelo fight. When I lost that Canelo fight a lot of my team left me, a lot of my friends left me. I had to rebuild myself.”

Former unified light-welterweight champion Khan, now 32, is in the process of rebuilding once again following defeat at the brilliant hands of Terence Crawford in New York on April 20.

But his first step back on the road to redemption is a strange one, as Khan has decided to face little-known 11-3-2 Indian Neeraj Goyat in Saudi Arabia on July 12. But the Bolton man insists this is a calculated move and not simply a cash-out.

He explained: “Saudi have put the money on the table and I would be stupid not to take this opportunity.

“After the last fight i don’t want to go back into another hard fight straight away, I have to give my body a break. Then I can look at getting back in the mix for a world title.

Amir Khan will face Neeraj Goyat in Saudi Arabia (Reuters) (Action Images via Reuters)

“Having this fight could be a tune-up style fight but it could still be dangerous and it will show what’s left in me.

“We all saw on Saturday night that anything can happen in a boxing ring so I will not be taking anything for granted.”