Heavyweight title match upset shocks boxing world

Andy Ruiz Jr. wasn't even supposed to be in the ring Saturday. But he was -- and he left Madison Square Garden as the IFB heavyweight champion, the WBA heavyweight champion and the WBO heavyweight champion.

Ruiz stunned Anthony Joshua with four knockdowns, including two in a decisive Round 7 that ended the fight and made the California-born Ruiz, 29, the first boxer of Mexican descent to win any heavyweight title.

He's not just a heavyweight champion. He's a unified heavyweight champion.

"I just want to thank God for giving me this victory. Without him this wouldn't have been possible," Ruiz said. "This is what I have been dreaming about. This is what I have been working hard for, and I can't believe I just made my dreams come true."

The night was billed as the long-awaited first match on U.S. soil for Joshua, the 29-year-old Brit who entered at 22-0 with 21 knockouts and the WBA/WBO/IFB champion.

Ruiz (33-1, 22 KO) was unranked in the heavyweight division and a massive 30-1 underdog just two days before the match, with the odds closing to 11-1 before the first-round bell. Ruiz accepted the fight just four weeks ago after original challenger Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller failed three drug tests. 

Joshua dropped Ruiz in the third round, the first knockdown for Ruiz in his career. But he popped up and knocked Joshua down twice in that round. Ruiz knocked Joshua down two more times in the seventh round before the referee called it. Ruiz jumped up and down in celebration, capping on one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight boxing history.

The win brings back memories of James "Buster" Douglas' shocking win over Mike Tyson back in 1990, along with the 2001 loss of Lennox Lewis to Hasim Rahman.

"Big respect to Andy, big big respect," Joshua said. "(He's a) good fighter. Thank you America. Thank you everyone for coming out this evening. Sorry I let my friends down, sorry I let my supporters down."

Saturday's surprise has ramifications for the marquee heavyweight division. Both fighters talked rematch following the fight, with Joshua noting he wants one by the end of 2019 in his native U.K. Meanwhile, WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KO) announced a rematch with No. 3-ranked heavyweight Tyson Fury (27-0-1) in 2020 following a September bout with No. 6 Luis Ortiz (31-1).