Photos: Zanfer Promotions
WBA, IBF, WBO heavyweight champion Andy “Destroyer” Ruiz Jr. (33-1, 22 KOs) received a great reception from media and fans Tuesday afternoon at the facilities of TV Azteca south of Mexico City.
“One thing, I wanted to shut the mouth of all those who said that fat guy is not going to do anything,” said Ruiz. “By the grace of God we achieved all our dreams. Many told me that I was not going to make it, that I would not be able to handle an opponent like him (Anthony Joshua), but I asked God to help me to do it and at that moment I grabbed my dreams.
“This was thanks to the effort of my father who always took care of me all that time and took me to train. I told him that sooner or later I could pay him back for all that, that things were going to change. That night was a lot of joy and things are changing. I’m just taking it all in.”
Along with the new star of Mexican boxing were his father Andy Ruiz Sr., CEO of TV Azteca Benjamin Salinas, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, WBA President Gilberto Mendoza, CEO of Zanfer Promotions Fernando Beltran, Miguel Torruco of CONABOX, and trainer Manny Robles, among others.
Beltran introduced Ruiz as the newest star that fans can follow exclusively in Mexico on Box Azteca 7 La Casa del Boxing.
Salinar stated, “We are very proud of you, and that you visit us here. You are an example for all Mexicans because what this country needs most is hope. You are an inspiration for all and we’re so happy about what you’ve accomplished.”
Andy, who is the first world heavyweight champion in the history of Mexican boxing, has fought almost his entire career in the United States, as only three of his fights have been in Mexico.
While amateur with a 105-5 amateur mark, Ruiz failed to qualify the 2008 Beijing Olympics representing Mexico and then decided to make the leap to professional sports.
In the morning, the Mexican champion was received at the National Palace by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, President of Mexico.
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He was born in California, last I heard, that state still was still part of the United States.
He should go live in Mexico if he’s so “proud”. What an ungrateful person, he’s no idea that everything he’s accomplished in life is thanks to and only possible the United States, it’s typical.
You so right man!!
Te Lo Sico
I was thinking the exact same thing! Born in Calfornia and gonna fight for Mexico in the Olympics unbelievable.
My Mom was born In Poland and I was born here in the good old USA and never been to Poland nor to I care to go there I’m a American not Polish this shit cracks me up, Like u said Juan if he so proud of his heritage go there and live there he’d be so broke and poor it wouldn’t be funny!
europeans are very proud of their heritage, what you dont like is when we latinos show pride in our heritage that bothers people like you, you want us to feel inferior and ashame about our culture, and by the way poland is in the other side of the world ,geography keeps us connected to our proud heritage. not to mention that california was stolen from mexico..
Even though I do agree with you, I fully understand why he would push this. Boxing is at home in the USA, but honestly, US fans suck. If Crawford, Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder etc were Mexican or British, for example, they would have enormous fan bases. As it is, they can’t sell out venues. Even Floyd couldn’t sell out the MGM if he wasn’t in a super fight. On the other hand, if Canelo or Ricky Hatton were American they would probably have a fan base like Keith Thurman does. A strong fan base amounts to 10s of millions of $ so I don’t blame these guys for taking advantage.
No doubt, its the “Mexican” fan base that generates the money nowadays, they’re also the majority of boxing fans in the U.S. However, those “Mexicans” are Mexican-AMERICANS or Mexican citizens RESIDING in the U.S. They’re the ones with the disposable income thanks to the opportunities and resources THIS country provided. That is NO excuse to be unappreciative, disloyal and/or disrespectful towards this nation or the American people by flying foreign flags, espousing Mexican nationalism on U.S. soil and screaming “Viva Mexico” during every event.
Also, there are NO mega fights involving Mexican fighters being made in Mexico, there’s very little or no money to be made, the big money fights are made in the United States! That “pride” stops at the border and in the fighters/trainers/promoters wallets, I find that hypocritical.
I fully see your point. Ironically, AJ is as Nigerian as Ruiz is Mexican but AJ flies the British flag. I guess the fighters do what they need to do.
That is biggest load of emotionally driven nonsense I’ve read in a long time. LOL. When did Ruiz say he’s disrespecting the US? “Hypocritical”.”Disloyal”. LOL. nopales crack me up.
He’s disrespecting the United States when he proclaims himself to be “Mexican” yet he’s an American citizens and when he waves or wears the Mexican flag and stands for the Mexican national anthem……which I consider to be “emotionally driven nonsense”!
He’s hypocritical because he lives in and benefits from the United States and not the country he embraces or with the people he identifies with with……which I consider to be “emotionally driven nonsense”!
He’s disloyal by visiting and accepting honors by a foreign president in a foreign land……..something I consider to be “emotionally driven nonsense”!
It is emotionally driven nonsense, my man. You simply feel to interpret it from a victimized mindset. The overwhelming majority of fans have ZERO problems with him embracing his roots AND being American. Stop borrowing trouble for self. “Juan Valdez”. LOL
I interpret it through the emotionally driven mindset of a grateful, patriotic American!
He’s not embracing his roots, he’s openly espousing another nation and people over his birth country and countrymen, he choose a side and it isn’t with America or Americans….that’s treason!
You’re likely correct in assuming that the majority of boxing fans likely have no problem with him embracing his roots but that’s because the majority of boxing fans are of Mexican descent with similar seditious, ingrate mindsets, patriotic Americans however, SHOULD have a problem!
Get a life “Juan Valdez”. Like Trump would invite him to the White House.
None of us will have a “life” when this country is at war with itself because so many people (children if immigrants or recent immigrants) prefer to think of themselves as other than American.
We need something that unites us, not divides us such as Ruiz’s undeserved braggadocious, chest-thumping patriotism towards a foreign country.
Humans can claim what ever they want and say what ever they want to say this applies to everybody it’s a free world some claimed to be from a country and are extremely proud but had not served this great united states i considered that to be hypocritical and pure hypocrisy.
California was Mexico and always will be.
Thanks Papi, somebody gets it! Don’t care where my children and grandchildren are born, they will always be Mexican no matter what their passports say! It’s obvious some of these Spanish names on here are from other Spanish-speaking countries, they are famous for turning their backs on where they came from!
From other Spanish speaking countries or worse: Nopales. Shame. How about just being proud that we have our first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent and just leave at that? Novel concept.
Novel concept…..how about embracing both your ancestry and your nationality, he’s only EMBRACING one and loudly at that!
Novel concept….how about questioning your loyalty to a dystopian, duplicitous culture and blindly embracing a heritage of indifference?
Novel concept….how about a little introspect over your feeling of pride because of another mans, likely stranger, accomplishment?
Lots of third or fourth generation Americans identify as Italian, Irish, Polish, etc. I don’t remember anyone claiming that Irish Micky Ward was unpatriotic.
So what? He never said anything negative of the US. You boys need to stop crying.
You think declaring himself a proud Mexican, waving the Mexican flag, standing for the Mexican anthem, accepting awards from the Mexican president is a positive for the United States?
The one that needs to stop crying about his love for Mexico is Ruiz!
God Bless the United States!!!!!
You are an American!! I don’t know why you call yourself a Mexican….
Why does that bother you, buddy? The man is proud of his Mexican ancestry and represented Mexico in the Olympics. Stop crying.
If he is truly proud of his Mexican ancestry and choose to represent Mexico in the olympics then why is he living in the United States?????????
Mexico desperately claiming an American born citizen as their champ. Ruiz wants to be Mexican but thats a different culture to American. Disrespectful to America and the American people.
Needs a rematch vs Parker!
He never once said he was thankful to be an American. I’m from Zreticantali which is just north of the Nertician border which they would cut my hand off if I spoke bad about my country or denied it. I came to America (the right way) I am extremely thankful to be here America is the land of opportunity and I am grateful for this beautiful country. Andy, be thankful you were born here.
Unfortunately he was born in the US but taken back to grow up in Mexico. He should be proud of both his nationality and culture both made him who he is today. One thing I do know is he is American but can guarantee he went his whole life being described as the Mexican kid/boxer then when he says I’m Mexican those same people are like, Hey No your not your American!
His loyalty to Mexico and cultural pride are contradictory and just don’t make sense.
His parents fled a repressive, turbulent, miserable country and purposely traveled to the United States to give birth to an American born child exclusively to reap the benefits that American citizenship entails only to have that child show more love and respect to the despotic country and society that offered and gave him nothing over the country and society that sheltered and nurtured him.
Be proud of your culture but, more importantly, be grateful and proud of being an American!
Well if God helped him seems a bit unfair.
This is also the only country where being born here and spending years in the Marines doesn’t make an American on job applications… Mexican-American
Where does he get off claiming he’s the 1st ever Mexican Champion when he factually was born in the USA? Pure BS and disrespectful to his native country that gave him the opportunity to be where he is today.
Because “First Mexican Champion” sounds better than “fat American Champion who one because his opponent didn’t take him seriously.” But if he was born in the U.S. and raised in Mexico I can understand why he is proud of his heritage and culture. But at the same he needs to understand that he is American.
The same BS with Lenox Lewis. Born in Jamaica, represents Canada in the Olympics and represent the UK as a professional.
Calm down people it isn’t that serious. While I love this underdog story, his days are numbered anyway. He is just cashing in where he can and I don’t blame him, he worked hard for this windfall.
I don’t think his days are numbered, he’s got skills, speed, power, a solid chin and most importantly he’s got a huge heart.
I think he’s as good as or better than the top 10 heavyweights out there, excluding Deontay Wilder whose reach with power will give Ruiz trouble.
What’s the big deal, I like the guy NDP hope he stays humble and stays the champ.