The longtime UFC analyst weighed in on one of the biggest upsets in recent heavyweight boxing history.
The boxing world experienced a massive shake-up on Saturday night, as the unheralded heavyweight Andy Ruiz Jr (33-1, 22 KOs) came in on short notice and scored a stunning seventh-round TKO of England’s Anthony Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) in front of a pro-Joshua crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was billed as Joshua’s United States debut and a chance for American audiences to witness his greatness in primetime, but the night belonged to Ruiz, an 11-to-1 underdog who’d never picked up a top-ten win prior to Saturday, and has since become the WBO-WBA-IBF heavyweight champion of the world.
Among those who gave their opinion on Ruiz’s incredible performance, which included the fight’s final four knockdowns after he was initially dropped in round three, was UFC analyst Joe Rogan. Here’s what he had to say on his official Instagram page.
Nights like this are one of the many reasons why I love fights. Weird shit happens when people punch each other in the head. Most of the time when people ask me “who is going to win?” I say, “I don’t know. That’s why we have to see them fight.”
I say that because I’m being honest.
There are windows in time where you’re convinced you know the outcome. Where a king has lain waste to all who challenge his dominance, and you’re SURE he’s going to win a fight. Then, someone like @andy_destroyer13 comes along and flips the whole thing right on its fucking head and shocks the world.
I LOVE shit like that.
Congrats to @andy_destroyer13 on an amazing victory.
Ruiz is the first ever heavyweight champion of Mexican descent, and he’s lined himself up for massive paydays down the line, including an expected rematch with Joshua later this year. This was a fairy tale story come to life, and that’s what makes combat sports so awesome. They can never take away what Andy Ruiz accomplished on June 1st, 2019.
…So anyway, does this mean Francis Ngannou should fight Andy Ruiz next?