Saturday night might have just delivered the biggest upset in professional boxing in the last decade and a half. The “Mexican Rocky“ beat the British favorite, earning Andy Ruiz Jr. the title of ‘Heavyweight Champion of the World’ — and four big-ass belts to prove the point. Numerous elements — including a third-round that included multiple know-downs — made his stunner victory over Anthony Joshua an instant classic.
While hard to imagine, there are ways you might not have enjoyed what (or who) went down at New York’s notorious Madison Square Garden on June 1st. You might be Anthony Joshua himself. Or his promoter. Or you might be one of the contenders hoping for a massive payday from a Joshua bout. If you are any other human being, odds are Andy Ruiz Jr. is your guy now!
Not only did Ruiz Jr. charm media and fans alike during the lead-up to the fight by conceding to eating Snickers before every matchup. He also showed that he could take a punch of the rhetorical kind by amusingly agreeing with Tyson Fury’s statement that he looks like the kid from Disney’s “Up“ movie. Make no mistake, though:
Andy Ruiz Jr. might have gotten his opportunity to step into the ring with the formerly unbeaten champ from sending an Instagram DM to Joshua’s promoter. But the dude earned his belts! Despite an early knockdown in round 3, Ruiz went on to dominate the defending champ with a clear-cut strategy and insanely quick hands. The chubby Mexican American may have been a 14:1 underdog, but as it turns out, the chiseled Brit was no match for him.
He truly is the people’s champ.
