Andy Ruiz has become the first Mexican heavyweight champion after he defeated Anthony Joshua via a technical knockout.
ANTHONY JOSHUA was demolished by 19st no-hoper Andy Ruiz Jr in one of the biggest shocks in boxing history.
The WBA, IBF and WBO king was dethroned after being dropped a staggering four times and being pulled out by the referee Mike Griffin before the end of the seventh.
Anthony Joshua was floored twice in the third round in sensational scenes. AJ suffered one of the biggest shocks ever in heavyweight boxing as he lost his world titles. It ranks alongside 33/1 shot Buster Douglas’s stunning KO victory against Mike Tyson back in 1990 which shocked the boxing world.
California-based 29-year-old Ruiz took the fight on short notice, after a handful of dimwitted potential rivals turned it down, and pulled off the most amazing of upsets.
He was a 25/1 shot to dethrone WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO champ Joshua – but he pulled off what most believed was the impossible. Ruiz said: “I just want to thank God for the victory. This is what I have been dreaming about and working hard for.”
Exactly as AJ predicted, Ruiz’s first action was to try to jab at his six pack but it bounced off his rock-hard abs.
The fight was waved off by Mike Griffin in a sensational victory for Andy Ruiz Jr Joshua started the fight with his lead left hand swinging low, by his waist, a risky tactic that Ruiz warned him against with a couple of early digs that had the crowd concerned.
The British hero enjoyed his first scoring punches in the last 50 seconds of the second round when he landed twice with a short left hook and a stiff jab
And in round three he raced through the gears and dropped Ruiz with a murderous uppercut.
ROUND ACTION
Round One
An expected cagey start, but Ruiz Jr landed cleaner and probably sneaked it.
Round Two
Joshua evened it up but his head and foot movement wasn’t too impressive.
Round Three
Ruiz floored and people in the crowd expected the finish. But the Mexican bit down and ended up spectacularly dropping Joshua twice.
Round Four
Joshua was all over the place and his legs looked as though they still hadn’t recovered from the knockdowns.
Round Five
Only five rounds in and AJ appeared out on his feet. Tellingly asked his corner what round it is at the end.
Round Six
Many in the crowd could now sense that one of boxing’s biggest ever upsets could be on. AJ asked corner why he doesn’t feel good as he slumped to his stool.
Round Seven
The unbelievable became reality. Ruiz floored Joshua to make it four in total before the referee waves it off as the dethroned champ slumped onto the ropes. But Ruiz shocked the world seconds later by dropping Joshua in sensational style and he was saved by the bell moments later when he hit the deck for a second time and took another eight count.
The left hook that AJ is infamously susceptible to clipped his temple first and rendered him senseless, a zombie, and a right sent him down.
Joshua beat the count but was stumbling around the ring with a vacant grin, all his dreams and hard work hanging by a thread.
Andy Ruiz was also felled in the third round of the explosive fight in New York Anthony Joshua was massively off form as he lost his four belts And Ruiz pounced to batter him to the ground once again, terrifying the one-sided crowd backing their 2012 Olympic icon before the bell saved him.
Trainer Rob McCracken had to somehow save his man from one of the biggest embarrassments in sport and the fourth round looked an improvement when he tagged the challenger.
Fans broke into their booming “oh Anthony Joshua” chant but it suddenly sounded very desperate and didn’t reverberate for long.
But a roar echoed around Madison Square Garden when AJ connected with a left hook and Ruiz’s spit and sweat flew through the New York air and the fat on his back rippled in the slow motion replay.
Joshua admitted to hating fighting shorter men because they were able to tuck up and dodge shots and Ruiz, four inches below him, did exactly that.
Not once was Joshua able to test how the Mexican’s stomach ‘muscles’ would hold up under fire. Instead it was Ruiz winning the round, clipping Joshua twice more as the Englishman toddled around on the backfoot looking dazed and confused.
The Sun UK
