Photo: Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty
Andy Ruiz Jr. did the unthinkable over the weekend and knocked out former undefeated heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua to win the title in a massive upset.
“It’s a blessing to be here and be the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world,” Ruiz told Kimmel.
He continued, “At first I did [have doubts about winning]. But with all the training we’ve been doing since my last fight against Alexander Dimitrenko back on April 20, I was already prepared for this fight. I kept telling everyone that I’m gonna win this fight, but everyone kept doubting me. Nobody believed me.”
Ruiz told Kimmel that he started training at a boxing gym when he was just six years old and had his first amateur boxing match at the age of seven.
The circumstances surrounding Ruiz’s victory led to an abbreviated training time, as the 29-year-old was a late replacement for Jarrell Miller,who was denied a license to box after failing a drug testfor performance-enhancing substances, ESPN reported.
Having done the unthinkable and unseating the heavyweight champion, Ruiz will likely be facing a rematch against the British-born Joshua in his first title defense.
“I had a month and two weeks [to prepare for Joshua fight],” Ruiz revealed. “If he wants a rematch, I’ll give it to him. I’m willing to go over there or we can do it over here … Here in America or Mexico. We’re still going through negotiations.”
Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty
The newly crowned championearned himself$7 million for the Joshua bout, according to Sporting News, but Ruiz wasn’t the only person to cash out on Saturday night. Ruiz told Kimmel that his family bet money on him to win, and were rewarded for their faith as he overcame 11 to 1 odds to defeat Joshua.
“My dad brother and mom, all of them made almost $10,000 (betting) on me,” he shared.
source: people.com
