Andy Ruiz Jr admits he is still haunted by his defeat to Anthony Joshua in December 2019.

The former unified heavyweight champion, 31, shocked the world when he knocked out Joshua in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden. 

Ruiz Jr became the first male boxer of Mexican descent to become the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion of the world.  

And he enjoyed the fruits of his labour, spending much of his time partying, spending lavishly and not turning up to training. 

However, he lost his world titles in a lopsided unanimous decision to Joshua, with the three judges scoring the contest 118–110, 118–110, and 119–109.

In addition to being significantly overweight, Ruiz admitted that his overexuberant celebrations contributed to his downfall in Saudi Arabia.

And after making some big mistakes in the build-up to their rematch, Ruiz admits he still thinks about it every day.

The orthodox fighter, now preparing for his upcoming clash with Chris Arreola, told Fight Hub TV: "At this moment, when I was champion of the world, I was really happy and I got caught up in the lifestyle and I regret that to this day."

"I still have that part in me that I regret it and I let so many people down.

"And then when I lost it I was depressed, I was mad, I was angry at myself and I ended up [weighing] 310lbs.

"I was so sad and I got tired of the way that I was living... I remember this one day I just got on my knees and I started praying and I was telling God, 'Please God, help me.

"'Help me make a change, I don’t want to be the same person that I am right now. I want to be a better person, a better father, a better son, a better fighter as well.'"

Andy Ruiz Jr

"And what do you know, the next day I end up feeling like all the addictions that I had went away," he continued. "Everything went away. It was amazing, man...

"That day I was thinking so clear and I was like ‘you know what, I’m gonna message Canelo’ and I didn’t think he was gonna answer because I thought he was disappointed in me too...

"So I messaged him like ‘do you think you could open the doors for me, I’m tried of the way that I’m living, tired of the stuff that I’m doing’ and he was like ‘alright.’ He messaged me and I was like ‘whoa, what the heck.’

"The first thing that Eddy told me was ‘look Andy, we know what you got, we know that you got potential but if you’re gonna come over here I need you to be disciplined, I need you to give me 110%, I need you to work your ass off’

"And I told him ‘you know what Eddy, I’ll do whatever it is, I’ll do whatever it takes’ and what do you know, I started training hard, I started doing the things that he wanted me to do and what do you know, we’re here now."

Andy Ruiz Jr

Joshua is set to face WBC champion Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world this summer.  

And Ruiz feels he would've beaten Joshua again if he had stayed in shape, adding: "I would’ve still been champion. I would’ve still been champion, man.

"And that’s what I said, it still haunts me to this day in my heart and I know exactly what to do and what not to do now because I went all 12 rounds."