BREAKING: Andy Ruiz knocks out Anthony Joshua, takes three world titles

Uche EmmanuelJune 2, 2019

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Anthony Joshua’s bid to make a splash in his US debut ended in misery for the three belts heavyweight world champion with a stunning loss to underdog Andy Ruiz at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

Ruiz recorded a monster upset, knocking down Britain’s Joshua four times to take the World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization titles.

Ruiz came into the fight as a massive 20-1 underdog. But he won it in the middle of the seventh round 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.

Joshua had a massive height and reach advantage as he weighed in at a chiselled 255 pounds compared to the portly Ruiz, who beefed up to 268 pounds compared to 250 for his most recent fight.

England’s Anthony Joshua (L) kneels after being knocked down by USA’s Andy Ruiz (R) in the 7th round to win by TKO during their 12-round IBF, WBA, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Championship fight at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1, 2019. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

Ruiz, who has won four fights in a row, looked fearless and poised while Joshua — who had won all 22 of his previous bouts — never seemed to recover from the first knockdown early in the third.