![]() Ruiz etched his name in heavyweight lore by TKO at 1:27 in the seventh round to become the surprise champ in a bout that had shades of Douglas’ upset over Mike Tyson for the heavyweight title in 1990. I can’t believe I just made my dreams come true." "This is what I’ve been dreaming about, this is what I’ve been working hard for. Ruiz, the first heavyweight of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight title, capped one of boxing’s epic upsets to win Joshua’s shares of the heavyweight championship Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. De Los Santos was only added to the card Wednesday when Jezreel Corrales couldn't secure a travel visa from Panama.A massive underdog just like Buster Douglas, Ruiz knocked down British champion Anthony Joshua four times, and the final two in the seventh round proved the decisive blows. The pay-per-view card opened with an enormous upset: Edwin De Los Santos, a Dominican lightweight filling in as a late replacement opponent, battered previously unbeaten Mexican prospect José Valenzuela for a third-round stoppage victory. ![]() “But I felt good, and I thought I was landing the more powerful shots. “Obviously it had been over four years, so I was a little off with my timing, and a little sluggish," Mares said. Mares tired in the second half, but won 96-94 on one judge's card. He recovered from surgery on a detached retina shortly before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and his ring absence stretched on while he landed a commentary job with Showtime.īut Mares eventually decided he had to return, and he looked quite sharp early against Flores (25-4-1) with a series of big right hands that rocked his opponent. Mares (31-3-2) hadn't fought since his second loss to Leo Santa Cruz in June 2018. It was a blessing we were able to be successful.”Įarlier, Cruz (24-2-1, 17 KOs) made his case for a rematch with Gervonta “Tank” Davis with his two-round demolition of Ramirez, first knocking him down face-first with a left hook to the jaw before finishing him with a combination in the corner.ĭavis, who narrowly beat Cruz by decision last December, smiled as he watched the bout from ringside amid chants of: “We want Tank!” from Cruz's fans. “I was waiting for him to load up, and countering him when he did. But Ruiz connected again late in the seventh, staggering Ortiz before sending him to the canvas with a right to the top of the head. Neither fighter threw much or risked much in the next four rounds, and the crowd that loudly backed Ruiz grumbled its displeasure. Do you think I’m done after the way I fought? Do the people think I’m done? I don’t think so.” “To everyone who said that I’m old, I gave you a war today," Ortiz said. Ortiz wobbled to his feet and soon slipped back down while trying to clinch with Ruiz, but he made it to the bell. I want to be a champion again.”Īfter entering the ring in a blue-and-gold robe and trunks featuring the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams' colors and helmet horns, Ruiz abruptly floored Ortiz early in the second round with a short right hand. “I want to fight at least three or four times a year. “I do not want to be waiting,” Ruiz said. Ruiz had fought just once since, but he rededicated himself to training with hopes of getting another shot at the belts. Ruiz pulled off one of the bigger upsets in recent heavyweight history when he took Anthony Joshua's three championship belts in 2019, only to lose them back to his British opponent six months later. The Associated Press also had Ruiz 114-111, with the knockdowns making the difference. ![]() “I thought I did a beautiful job boxing him around and handling his pressure.” “I worked so hard for this fight, because I knew he’s a warrior and he hits hard,” Ruiz said.
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