Frank Franklin III / Associated Press
Andy Ruiz gestures to fans after a heavyweight title boxing match against Anthony Joshua on Saturday, June 1, 2019, in New York. Ruiz won in the seventh round.
Saturday, June 1, 2019 | 8:42 p.m.
NEW YORK — Andy Ruiz flattened Anthony Joshua twice in the seventh round and capped one of boxing's biggest upsets to win his share of the heavyweight championship Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Ruiz won it at 1:27 by TKO in the seventh round to become the surprise champ in a bout that had shades of Buster Douglas' upset over Mike Tyson in 1990. Ruiz barely was on anyone's heavyweight radar when he was summoned as a replacement to fight champion Joshua in front of a packed Garden.
All he did was dominate the British champion.
Ruiz knocked down Joshua twice in the third round and did it two more times in the seventh before referee Mike Griffin ended the fight.
He's stepped in after fighting on April 20, when he stopped Alexander Dimitrenko. Jarrell Miller's failed drug tests sent the challenger to the sideline.
Ruiz (33-1, 21 KO's) seized the opportunity and made boxing history to win the WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO championships.
