On Saturday night, Andy Ruiz Jr. shocked the world by TKOing Anthony Joshua and taking the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles (watch the highlights and finish here).
What started out looking like another showcase performance for Joshua against a late replacement started going very wrong in the third round after Ruiz bounced back from a knockdown with extra aggression, dropping Joshua in return and almost finishing him before the bell. Joshua never looked the same and in the seventh round Ruiz pressured again to knock him down twice more, forcing the referee to stop the fight.
It was a massive upset. Sportsbooks had Joshua a -2500 favorite to Ruiz’s +1100, and the internet had widely mocked Ruiz’s chances and chubbiness, which surpassed even typical heavyweight dad bod standards. So for him to turn around and dethrone Joshua was quite a moment.
The kind of moment comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan lives for when it comes to combat sports. Here’s what Rogan said about Joshua vs. Ruiz:
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 s**t like that.
Congrats to @andy_destroyer13 on an amazing victory.
As if defeating Joshua and becoming the holder of three heavyweight titles wasn’t already a huge deal, Andy Ruiz Jr. becomes the first Mexican (and only second Hispanic) heavyweight champ in boxing history. With a big money rematch against Joshua most likely in the cards, it doesn’t get much better than that.