Anthony Joshua’s former rival Andy Ruiz Jr offers to step in for Dillian Whyte after he failed a drug test for the third time in his career

Anthony Joshua’s former rival Andy Ruiz Jr has offered to step in for Dillian Whyte after the collapse of his rematch with Dillian Whyte over a failed drug test.

Whyte failed a drug test for the third time in his career, ruling him out of his all-British fight with AJ, denying him the chance to avenge his 2015 loss, and forcing Joshua to find an emergency stand-in.

While Joshua’s camp is scrambling to fix a replacement, a surprise contender Andy Ruiz Jr. has emerged.

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Now Ruiz is eyeing up a trilogy fight with AJ after Saturday’s bout was cancelled following an ‘adverse finding’ in one of Whyte’s drugs tests.

The Destroyer said on Instagram: ‘Eddie Hearn, Joshua, I think I’ve found a new replacement – again!

‘Let’s run it back. Let’s get the trilogy. Let’s get it.’

Ruiz Jr stopped Joshua in the seventh round to become the world heavyweight champion but lost his belt after Joshua’s points win in Saudi Arabia.

He has since fought veterans Luis Ortiz and Chris Arreola but is eyeing a return to the big leagues.

Currently, Gerald Washington is the frontrunner to land the Joshua fight, as per Sun Sport, but Ruiz will hope to be picked for the fight.

Whyte has vowed to prove his innocence and released a statement about his failed test that said: ‘I am shocked and devastated to learn of a report by VADA of adverse findings relating to me.

‘I only learned of it this morning and am still reacting to it.

‘I have also just seen the fight is being cancelled without having any chance to demonstrate my innocence before the decision was taken.

‘I can confirm without a shadow of a doubt that I have not taken the reported substance, in this camp or at any point in my life.

‘I am completely innocent and ask to be given the time to go through the process of proving this without anybody jumping to conclusions or a trial by media.’

This is the third time he has failed a drug test in his career as the Body Snatcher was banned for two years after testing positive for a prohibited stimulant in 2012.

He also tested positive for metabolites of the anabolic steroid Dianabol in 2019 but was exonerated of any wrongdoing by UKAD due to the ‘extremely low’ levels of the drug found in his system.