SKY Sports Box Office has left fans furious after charging a record £25 to watch Anthony Joshua’s rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr.
Former heavyweight king Joshua, 30, is looking to reclaim his WBA, WBO and IBF titles after his shock defeat in New York six months ago.
FIGHT NIGHT LIVE Follow ALL of the latest updates from Joshua vs Ruiz 2
Fans are raging at being charged a record price to watch AJ vs Ruiz 2Credit: Getty Images – Getty
The price is on the Sky Sports Box Office website
Fight fans forked out the usual £19.95 pay-per-view fee to watch that bout.
But the price of the mouthwatering rematch on December 7 has surged to £24.95 – some £15 more than the cost of watching KSI’s win over Logan Paul earlier this month.
At least it won’t be too late a night, with the ring walks confirmed for a 10pm start time in the UK – 1am in Saudi Arabia.
But still fans are furious at having to pay the inflated fee.
One fumed: “Ruiz vs AJ II £24.95 scandalous. Not getting a penny from me even if I could afford it I wouldn’t pay it out of principle.
“I remember watching Lewis and Tyson £14.95 since then the price PPV has rocketed week in week out. No wonder people illegally stream.”
Another wrote: “For £24.95 I was expecting a visa and a flight.”
A fellow user said: “Hearn and Sky are robbing b******s.
“AJ – who I am a supporter of – got well battered so why rip customers off with a £5 increase. F*** you Hearn and Sky Sports box office.”
One comment read: “Think I’ll make illegal streaming the norm moving forward.”
And another said: “Just going to have to stream it.”
Getting fans to stump up the extra fiver might not be the only issue organisers have.
Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith shared a video of what looked like a half-built venue for the fight.
He captioned the clip: “All this done in just 6 weeks! December 7 is going to be one to remember!”
However fans were left unimpressed by the venue, as one user quipped: “It looks like Southend-on-Sea’s Victoria Circus car park.”
Joshua will look to prove the doubters – who include WBC champ Deontay Wilder – wrong in the Middle East.
Wilder believes Joshua was too mentally weak to hold on to his titles in the first clash against Ruiz Jr.
Joshua has slimmed down significantly for the rematch, ditching the usual muscular frame in favour of a leaner one.
And Ruiz, 30, showed he looks ready for business by almost knocking out his trainer in sparring.
Half-built stadium for Ruiz vs Joshua II resembles ‘car park’ with plastic chairs just four weeks before fight
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
