Anthony Joshua's trainer Angel Fernandez has slammed Andy Ruiz Jr for using his partying antics as an excuse for losing their heavyweight title rematch.
Ruiz had shocked the world back in June when he caused a huge upset to inflict a first career defeat on Joshua; but the Mexican was soundly beaten in their second bout earlier this month.
Joshua recorded a convincing points victory in Saudi Arabia against a sluggish Ruiz, who had weighed in at over 20 stone.
After the rematch, Ruiz Jr blamed poor preparation for his defeat and pressed Joshua to battle him in a third encounter - but Fernandez believes it would be a pointless affair.
Speaking to World Boxing News , Fernandez said: “When Joshua lost in New York, he took it like a man.
"One of the first things that he said was, listen tonight it’s about the man. He won the titles so give the credit and attention to him.
“The first thing Ruiz said after was, ‘oh I’ve been partying. I shouldn’t have been doing that. I should have been doing this’.
"Maybe Ruiz is saying this is to make the third fight happen – I don’t know. Maybe he was thinking the public would go and say let’s see the third fight.
“For me, I don’t see a point of a third fight. Joshua has proved he’s been too much for him.
“In the second fight, for him to come up with that type of excuse, I don’t think he should have said that.
“He (Ruiz) kind of took some of the glamour from the performance by Joshua on the night.”
Joshua now looks set to turn his attentions away from a trilogy fight against Ruiz, with Oleksandr Usyk mandatory challenger to his WBO heavyweight title.
He must now face off with Usyk by June 4 or vacate his belt, while Kubrat Pulev remains mandatory contender for Joshua's IBF title.
