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Unus Alladin

Andy Ruiz Jnr’s devastating seventh-round TKO victory against Britain’s Anthony Joshua came as a major shock to most boxing fans, but it was no surprise to those who have followed his career path from the days when he was on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao and Zou Shiming – both times in Macau, of all places.
Ruiz is well known to Hong Kong fans, having fought in the former Portuguese enclave as the “friendly Mexican kid” twice in 2013.
As a gawking 23-year-old, Ruiz already laid out his ambitions to become the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion of the world in the early days of his career – echoing the exact same words in the lead up to the Joshua fight at Madison Square Garden.

“I have been dreaming about the heavyweight title it seems since I was born,” Ruiz told the South China Morning Post in 2013.
“My goal is to become the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world. I am trying to accomplish that. I am going to do the hard work and show all the dedication I need. I am pretty sure it will follow through,” he said.


Andy Ruiz may appear flabby, but he packs a quick and powerful punch
The Post was one of the first newspapers that ran stories on Ruiz and the big Mexican showed his softer side when he met reporters during a round-table chat, even running to chase a reporter who had left his audio recorder on the table when the interview was done.

Shy and a man of few words, Ruiz was adamant he would one day rise to the top. Now the 29-year-old holds the IBF, WBO, WBA heavyweight titles.
However, Ruiz has always been a bright prospect in the heavyweight division even in 2013 and his name would be uttered in the same sentence as those who were coming up at the time: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury react to Anthony Joshua’s defeat by Andy Ruiz
Six years ago, the heavyweight division looked rosy just about the same time Ukraine undisputed champion Wladimir Klitschko, who dominated the sport for too long, was about to hang up his gloves for good.
The American heavyweight scene was in a state of lull for years until Ruiz came along and gave the division a breath of fresh air.

Oh, Ruiz looked the same physically then as he does now, and he isn’t going to go on a crash diet to look any different. Although he doesn’t looked aesthetically pleasing, Ruiz showed even in the early days in Macau that he had one of the fastest hands in the division.
And he gave Hong Kong fans a glimpse of his power and ability when he first took on American Joe Hanks on the undercard of Fist of Gold II, headlined by former world flyweight champion Zou Shiming, in July 2013.

The “Destroyer” easily took care of Hanks with a fourth-round TKO. It was the first time Macau and Hong Kong fans saw heavyweight boxing at its best and Ruiz thrilled the CotaiArena with his powerful punching and fearless boxing that complemented his somewhat calm demeanor.
Andy Ruiz destroys Anthony Joshua to win heavyweight titles at Madison Square Garden
Ruiz sent Hanks through the ropes with a devastating right hook in the fourth round. Hanks got up at the count of nine only for Ruiz to put him down the canvas again before the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
Ruiz’s trainer at that time, Jeff Grmoja, said: “Andy is the best heavyweight I have trained and I have been in the business since 1982.”

Four months later, Ruiz was back in Macau, this time on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s comeback fight against Brandon Rios, a fellow Mexican-American Ruiz knows well.
Ruiz was this time up against American Tor Hamer, a tough New York heavyweight with a 21-3-0, 14 KOs record. But like Hanks, he proved no match for the Mexican kid, getting battered so badly he refused to come out of his corner in the third round.
“It does put me down. I hear a lot of things like that,” admitted Ruiz of his huge girth before he fought Hamer. “It’s still motivation for me. I try to prove everybody wrong and those who underestimate me, that’s why I train hard. The physique will show in the punches,” he told the Post in 2013.
Ruiz said this week that he was going to win the heavyweight title for “all the chubby people in the world”. He was true to his word.


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Anthony Joshua

Andy Ruiz Jnr’s rise to the top started in Macau when he was on the undercard of Pacquiao and Zou Shiming

Andy Ruiz Jnr throws a hard left to the body of Anthony Joshua during their heavyweight title fight. Photo: AFP

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 01: Andy Ruiz Jr knocks down Anthony Joshua in the third round during their IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden on June 01, 2019 in New York City. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 01: Anthony Joshua knocks down Andy Ruiz Jr in the third round during their IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden on June 01, 2019 in New York City. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Mexico's Andy Ruiz with American Joe Hanks at the weigh-in for Fists of Gold II. Photo: Unus Alladin

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 19: Andy Ruiz Jr. poses on the scale during his official weigh-in ahead of his heavyweight bout against Alexander Dimitrenko at Sheraton Gateway Hotel on April 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Heavyweight boxer Andy Ruiz of the US

Andy Ruiz destroys Anthony Joshua to win heavyweight titles at Madison Square Garden

Andy Ruiz Jnr knocks down Anthony Joshua. Photo: AFP

Boxing - Anthony Joshua v Andy Ruiz Jr - WBA Super, IBF, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Titles - Madison Square Garden, New York, United States - June 1, 2019 Anthony Joshua is given the count Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury react to Anthony Joshua’s defeat by Andy Ruiz

Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder pose after their December 2018 fight. Photo: Reuters

Andy Ruiz may appear flabby, but he packs a quick and powerful punch

Andy Ruiz stops Joe Hanks in the fourth round at Fists of Gold II in Macau earlier this year. Photo: Top Rank/Chris Farina

Andy Ruiz's speed belies his physique. Photo: Unus Alladin

Anthony Joshua bout against Andy Ruiz Jnr could carry a lot of weight

Britain’s Anthony Joshua and Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jnr pose during their weigh-in at Madison Square Garden in New York. Photo: AFP

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 31: Katie Taylor squares of against Delfine Persoon during their official weigh in at Madison Square Garden on May 31, 2019 in New York City. They will fight in a WBA/WBO/IBF/WBC women's lightweight unification fight at Madison Square Garden on June 1, 2019 Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 31: Chris Algieri squares off against Tommy Coyle during their official weigh in at Madison Square Garden on May 31, 2019 in New York City. They will fight in a junior welterweight fight at Madison Square Garden on June 1, 2019 Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua weighs in at Madison Square Garden, Friday, May 31, 2019, before a title bout Saturday against Andy Ruiz Jr. in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Heavyweight boxers Anthony Joshua, front left, and Andy Ruiz Jr. acknowledge fans during a weigh-in at Madison Square Garden, Friday, May 31, 2019, before their title bout Saturday in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

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Boxing

Martial Arts


The Mexican-American was confident he would become world heavyweight champ back in 2013
The boxer disposed of two heavyweight rivals at the CotaiArena, giving fans a glimpse of his talent



Mexican-American was confident he would become world heavyweight champion in 2013 when he fought on Zou Shiming’s Fist of Gold II undercard


Martial arts

Andy Ruiz Jnr’s rise to the top started in Macau when he was on the undercard of Pacquiao and Zou Shiming

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} The Mexican-American was confident he would become world heavyweight champ back in 2013 The boxer disposed of two heavyweight rivals at the CotaiArena, giving fans a glimpse of his talent

The Mexican-American was confident he would become world heavyweight champ back in 2013

The boxer disposed of two heavyweight rivals at the CotaiArena, giving fans a glimpse of his talent