• Promoter dominates final pre-fight press conference• Joshua: ‘I am not here to put on a show, I am here to win’Give Eddie Hearn his due. Not only has the promoter brought the world heavyweight championship to
Saudi Arabia, he is also rapidly embracing its culture. In a country ranked 172 out of 180 in the world press freedom index - two places above
Syria and seven ahead of
North Korea – he did not bother to invite questions from journalists at the final press conference before Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr meet in a rematch on Saturday.
Still, Hearn was able to glean a few nuggets by himself. That Ruiz is convinced his opponent will come in lighter and faster, in a bid to dance and entrance for 12 rounds. That Joshua has forewarned his audience that “I am not here to put on a show, I am here to win”. And finally – as every fighter on the bill kept reminding us – that the hospitality of the Saudis has been spectacular.