FanSided’s 2019 boxing awards and review of boxing’s best moments

2019 Upset of the Year: Andy Ruiz Jr.’s round 7 TKO of Anthony Joshua

Speaking of the first fight between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr., it also happened to be FanSided’s Upset of the Year.

Upsets aren’t uncommon in boxing, but few reverberated like Joshua vs. Ruiz 1. Anytime you have a 15-1 dog win, it will be news, but when that takes place in a heavyweight title fight, it becomes history.

Ruiz had nothing to lose. No one expected much from him, considering he was a late replacement. He came into the fight overweight, and his flabby body provided a stark contrast to Joshua’s muscle-bound physique. Ruiz proved that you don’t have to be a bodybuilder to be a boxer.

Joshua was supposed to take the U.S. by storm in his first outing in the states. Instead, he lost in front of a massive crowd at Madison Square Garden. He also lost his standing as the best heavyweight in the world.

Many were quick to compare Ruiz’s win to James ”Buster” Douglas’s 1990 knockout of Mike Tyson. Ruiz’s victory was shocking, but not as unlikely as Douglas’s performance. Ruiz only had one loss on his record to Douglas’s four.

Regardless, Ruiz’s win was the most improbable of 2019 and changed the landscape of the heavyweight division. He lost the December rematch mainly due to his lack of preparation, which is where comparisons to Douglas are warranted.

The fact that Ruiz lost the rematch in such a sad manner makes his win over Joshua more incredible in hindsight. He was the heavyweight champion for six months, and no one can take that away from him.