NEW YORK, June 2: Anthony Joshua�s bid to make a splash in his US debut ended in misery for the three belt heavyweight world champion with a stunning loss to underdog Andy Ruiz at Madison Square Garden.
Ruiz recorded a monster upset on Saturday, by knocking down Britain�s Joshua four times to take the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization titles.
The 29-year-old Ruiz came into the fight as a massive 32-1 underdog. But he won it by TKO in the middle of the seventh when the referee stopped it at 1:26 of the round after the fourth knockdown.
Ruiz, sent to the canvas once himself, knocked Joshua down twice in the third round and twice more in the seventh.
�I still can�t believe it. I am still pinching myself to see if this is real,� Ruiz said.
Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs) had a massive height and reach advantage as he weighed in at a chiselled 247 pounds (112.4 kilos) alongside the portly Ruiz, who beefed up to 268 pounds compared to 250 for his most recent fight.
Ruiz, who has won four fights in a row, looked fearless and poised while Joshua � who delivered 21 knockouts in his 22 victories � never seemed to recover from the first knockdown early in the third.
�Riuz won fair and square but I know Anthony Joshua�s work ethic. Great fighters come back and improve,� said Joshua�s promoter Eddie Hearn.
Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) has been underestimated because of his physique, but he knew what was at stake and how fortunate he was to get a second chance at a world title.
He was a late replacement for Jarrell Miller, who withdrew from the bout with Joshua after failing three drug tests in April.
�Everything is possible man. Look at me, I just made history,� Ruiz said.
Joshua was knocked down for the first time in the third when Ruiz hit him with a left hook to the temple. � AFP
