In boxing, one punch can change an entire fight. And when an upset occurs, it can potentially change the entire landscape in the blink of an eye.
Just 3 short weeks ago, we had 3 undefeated heavyweight elites, each of whom had a legitimate claim to call himself heavyweight champion. Anthony Joshua was the reigning unified IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight world champion, Deontay Wilder was the reigning WBC heavyweight world champion, and Tyson Fury still holds a valid claim as the lineal heavyweight world champion.
All 3 undefeated champions had/have match-ups in a 4 week time span. Wilder defeated Dominic Breazeale via devastating 1st round KO just over a 2 weeks ago. Joshua faced Ruiz this past weekend, and Fury is scheduled to face Tom Schwarz on June 15. The general expectation was that Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and Tyson Fury would all win their upcoming matches. But Andy Ruiz Junior had other plans, and he too shook up the entire heavyweight landscape with an incredible upset performance this past weekend.
It was Saturday night, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York – in a championship bout that was broadcast by the relatively new streaming app service known as DAZN – Andy Ruiz Jr received an unexpected opportunity to challenge the unified IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight world champion, Anthony Joshua.Ruiz was a replacement opponent who stepped in for Big Baby Miller.
There is something so beautifully uplifting whenever an underdog scores an upset that shakes things up to such a profound degree. And Ruiz winning might well be a blessing in disguise for the fans, and for the heavyweight division!
This edition of Rummy’s Corner attempts to place Ruiz’s sensational upset victory into a historical perspective, while also providing a quick recap of Ruiz’s victory against Joshua, and some speculation about the future of the division in the drastically altered landscape of the recharged heavyweight division. For one man’s take on the current situation, please watch and enjoy the video!