Sports • Boxing

Andy Ruiz Jr.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Andy Ruiz Jr. is a Mexican-American professional boxer who competes in the heavyweight division. He became a unified world heavyweight champion in 2019 after defeating Anthony Joshua, becoming the first boxer of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight world title.

Early life and background

Ruiz was born in Imperial, California, and is of Mexican descent. He is commonly identified as a Mexican-American boxer with the nickname “The Destroyer.”

Professional career

He made his professional debut in March 2009 and built a record that led to a world title shot against Joseph Parker in 2016, which he lost on points.

World heavyweight championship

Ruiz upset Anthony Joshua on June 1, 2019, winning by technical knockout in the seventh round and collecting the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles. This made him the first boxer of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight world championship.

Rematch and later career

Ruiz lost the unified titles in the rematch with Joshua on December 7, 2019. Later sources report additional fights, including wins over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz and a draw with Jarrell Miller in 2024.

Key facts

Andy Ruiz Jr. became unified heavyweight champion by defeating Anthony Joshua in June 2019.
He is the first boxer of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight world title.
Ruiz lost the unified titles to Joshua in a rematch in December 2019.
He turned professional in 2009 after an amateur career with more than 100 wins.
His professional record stands at 35 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw.

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Canadian context

Andy Ruiz Jr. has relevance for Canadian boxing fans as a major heavyweight name on the international circuit, though the provided sources do not identify a specific Canadian career connection.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Andy Ruiz Jr.?

Andy Ruiz Jr. is a Mexican-American professional heavyweight boxer known for defeating Anthony Joshua in 2019 to win unified world titles.

What is Andy Ruiz Jr.'s real name?

His full name is Andrés Ponce Ruiz Jr.

What titles did Andy Ruiz Jr. win?

He won the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles in 2019.

Did Andy Ruiz Jr. lose his titles?

Yes. He lost the unified heavyweight titles to Anthony Joshua in their rematch on December 7, 2019.

What is Andy Ruiz Jr. known for?

He is best known for one of boxing’s biggest heavyweight upsets, when he stopped Anthony Joshua in 2019.

What is Andy Ruiz Jr.'s nationality?

He is described in the sources as Mexican-American, with birth in California and Mexican heritage.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Ruiz_Jr.
Supports: Birth name, 2019 Joshua win, heavyweight titles
Wikipedia — https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Ruiz_Jr.
Supports: Birthplace, Mexican descent, first Mexican world heavyweight champion, loss of titles in rematch
Sporting News — https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/andy-ruiz-tale-of-the-tape-career-record-highlights-age-height/1eqjofrwbp45u16ufudmk7mvx3
Supports: Birthplace, age, career record, amateur background, pro debut context
Sporting News — https://www.sportingnews.com/us/boxing/news/andy-ruiz-jr-record-titles-fight-tyson-fury/l2ikaf9og2cbnnox3su5abfu
Supports: Former unified heavyweight champion, record, amateur background
Premier Boxing Champions — https://www.premierboxingchampions.com/andy-ruiz
Supports: Professional record, nickname, turned pro at 19
Yahoo Sports — https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/where-andy-ruiz-jr-now-220153487.html
Supports: Later fights, 2024 draw with Jarrell Miller, hiatus, recent activity
World in Sport — https://worldinsport.com/andy-ruiz-jr-the-journey-of-a-boxing-champion/
Supports: Joshua upset, heavyweight titles, Mexican descent claim
WBA — https://www.wbaboxing.com/wba-boxer-profile?id=2723
Supports: Record, alias, birth date, height, reach