Mexican Boxer With The Biggest Upset
No one gave Andy Ruiz Jr. a chance to defeat Anthony Joshua and become the unified heavyweight champion of the world.
Ruiz, who was a 9-1 underdog, responded by pulling off one of the greatest upsets in boxing history. He scored four knockdowns, including two in the seventh round, to finish Joshua and to become the new IBF, WBA (Super) and WBO heavyweight champion of the world at Madison Square Garden and before a global audience on DAZN. With the massive upset, Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) becomes the first fighter of Mexican descent to be crowned world heavyweight champion.
“I just feel so good, man!” Ruiz said in his post-fight interview with DAZN’s Chris Mannix. “I just made history, baby – for Mexico!”
Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) suffered the first loss of his career. He handled the defeat with grace. “It’s no excuses, it’s my own fault,” Joshua told Mannix.
Joshua struck first, dropping Ruiz in the third round with a left hook. Ruiz got right back up and dropped Joshua with a left hand on the temple, which rocked AJ and gave him instant shaky legs. With
Joshua against the ropes, Ruiz knocked him down yet again with a straight right hand.
Joshua seemingly got his legs back by the fifth round, but Ruiz ended the show with two more knockdowns in the seventh. Referee Michael Griffin checked with Joshua to see if he was able to continue and didn’t get the response he was looking for. Griffin ended the bout and gave Ruiz the massive upset victory.
