All along in the quite short build-up to last night’s chance of a life time fight with defending WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, Andy Ruiz Jr had to listen to the taunts, to the stifled chuckles, to the talk revolving around his less than lean physique. And throughout his now 34 pro fight career, Ruiz has had to listen to the fat guy jokes/criticisms. But who is it that’s laughing now?
Ruiz has said that, yes, those pre-fight taunts regarding his bodily appearance motivated him going into his challenge of the body-beautiful defending champ, that he was determined not only to achieve his dream, but to also shut these people up; you know, those fans that, despite likely never having seen the inside of a gym, much less had the courage to climb into the ring, still felt it was fine to openly sneer and point at Ruiz.
Mission accomplished.
Just as heavyweight legend George Foreman wanted, in his unlikely comeback, to make the older generation feel proud by his showing them that no man can be judged by his age, Ruiz showed last night that NO fighter should be judged by his physical appearance; that it’s what’s inside that counts. No-one will laugh at Ruiz ever again.
To be fair, the beaten Joshua was never anything but respectful, he knew how good, how dangerous, Ruiz was. Ruiz is now looking to keep the good times rolling. Heading back to the gym he says, the first ever Mexican to have won the world heavyweight title has vowed to work even harder for his next fight. Whether or not this next fight will be a return fight with Joshua remains to be seen, but the rematch clause AJ and Eddie Hearn are armed with seems to make this quite likely.
And if it if Joshua next, no fans supporting him will be pointing the finger and laughing at Ruiz on the scale this time. Lesson learned there. Never judge a book by its cover. Ruiz, with the fastest hands in the division, can really fight. Plenty of people were saying this before last night’s fight. Now everyone knows it. Joshua most of all.
