Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker says he would love a rematch against newly crowned WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr.
Ruiz sent shockwaves around the boxing world, when he claimed a seventh-round TKO win over Brit Anthony Joshua in front of a jam-packed crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday (NZ time).
The Mexican-American fighter dropped Joshua four times during the bout, before the referee ended the contest.
Speaking to AB Boxing News, Parker, who was ringside for the fight having just signed a three-fight deal with Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Sport, said he would love to square off against Ruiz once again.
"The ref gave him [Joshua] a chance, good on Andy," Parker told AB Boxing News.
"Our team knew that Ruiz Jr was going to be tough, be fast and explosive, he showed it.
"He's improved and I would love to fight him again."
Parker is the only fighter to have defeated Ruiz, when the Kiwi fighter claimed the then-vacant WBO heavyweight belt back in December 2016.
Immediately after the fight in Auckland, Ruiz said he wanted a rematch, because he felt he'd won, after dominating large periods of the contest.
But Parker's camp was not interested, as it wanted to explore other avenues, which led to wins against Razvan Cojanu and Hughie Fury, before losing the WBO belt to Joshua in Cardiff.
Now the tables have turned and it's Ruiz who isn't interested in a rematch with the Kiwi.
"I don't really care any more [avenging loss to Parker]," said Ruiz, "When I fought Parker, I trained myself and a lot of people don't know that.
"I did some interviews and I trained myself for that fight. I feel I won and now I am the WBO [heavyweight] champion of the world.
"I'm just happy, I just want to take this moment [and share it] with my family and my kids, and just enjoy it."
Ruiz added the win over Joshua meant so much to him, as it makes him the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world.
"Everyone has been doubting me since the beginning, especially from this fight. Nobody was to know that I was going to win - nobody did.
"And everybody that bet on me is going to make some serious money. But you know what, I thank God for this moment and I'm here now the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world."
Meanwhile, Parker is scheduled to make his return to the ring later this month, when he fights American Eric Molina in Rhode Island.
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