However there is a difference in challenging for and defending a championship, and that is pressure. Ruiz (33-1, 22 KO's) quite possibly never expected to be in this situation, and he will carry confidence in to this match after what happened last time. Ruiz has had six months to bask in the glory of becoming champion, and now he has to honor the clause in the original contract, which is the rematch that takes place Saturday at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia. stunned the world when he brought an end to the three-year reign of British unbeaten WBA/IBF/WBO champion Anthony Joshua, in the seventh round, after suffering a heavy third-round knockdown. Unheralded Mexican-American challenger Andy Ruiz Jr. The latter two shock results were avenged in rematches with conclusive knockouts.įast-forward to June 2019. History shows a litany of shock results in the top division: James J Braddock beating Max Baer in 1935, Leon Spinks winning by decision over Muhammad Ali in 1978, Ingemar Johansson knocking out Floyd Patterson in 1959, and Hasim Rahman stopping Lennox Lewis in 2001. Everyone loves to watch the big guys go at it, and the unpredictability makes for compulsive viewing. Heavyweight boxing is still the biggest attraction in the sport.
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