Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz: Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and The Rock lead reactions to stunning upset

The best reactions from the stunning heavyweight title upset in New York

Anthony Joshua’s stunning defeat against Andy Ruiz Jr left the boxing community in a state of shock as past and present boxers reacted to the heavyweight title upset in New York.

They don’t come any more famous than Madison Square Garden, but in the early hours of Sunday morning one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight boxing history played out as Ruiz inflicted a seventh-round stoppage to win the WBA, WBO and IBF championships.

The victory was made all the more surprising by the fact Joshua put Ruiz down in the third round, only to be dropped twice himself before the end of it as the tables turned completely on the 2012 Olympic champion. By the seventh, he had been knocked down two more times, and referee Mike Griffin made the decision to wave off the bout with Joshua unresponsive to his commands.

It triggered shock through the Garden and jubilant celebrations in Ruiz’s corner, given he became Mexico’s first heavyweight champion despite taking the fight at just five weeks’ notice.

Joshua posted a message of congratulations on Twitter, accompanied by a picture of himself and Ruix, with the two expected to meet in a rematch towards the end of the year.

Here’s how the world reacted to the incredible upset.

Tyson Fury took the surprising route of supporting Joshua and offering him an olive branch in the hope that he comes back from the setback.

“We have our back and Forth’s but @anthonyfjoshua changed his stars through life,” Fury wrote on Twitter. “Heavyweight boxing, these things happen, rest up, recover, regroup and come again.”

But Joshua’s other main rival, Deontay Wilder, was not so kind as he described him as a fraud.

“He wasn’t a true champion. His whole career was consisted of lies, contradictions and gifts,” said the WBC champion. “Facts and now we know who was running from who!!!!”

The reactions were not just contained to the current heavyweight division though, and one interested spectator in the form of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson claimed he had a feeling that Ruiz had an upset within him.

“I had a funny feeling all week about this fight,” Johnson wrote on Twitter. “HUGE congrats and respect to Andy Ruiz, the new (and first ever Mexican) World Heavyweight Champ. Watched some of Andy’s training this week - dude’s got fast hands and hits f****** hard. AJ will no doubt come back better.”

Joshua looked stunned by the repeated knockdowns (AP)

Former heavyweight world champion Frank Bruno took a different approach, pointing out that there might have been something wrong with Joshua from the start. Joshua denied questions over his condition, but Bruno believes he heard something from Joshua in between rounds that may add weight to that argument.

“Not sure if it’s just me but @anthonyfjoshua said in one of the rounds ‘why am I feeling like this?’ He didn’t seem right from the start, I wonder if there’s more to this?” said Bruno.

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis added: “I don’t even know what to say right now! But I do want to say congrats to Andy Ruiz for becoming the first EVER Mexican Heavyweight champ! #Respect To AJ... Pick urself (sic) up and learn from this. Don’t worry, you will bounce back!”

George Foreman said: “AJ was talked into fighting a fighter he should have had much more respect for Ruiz has been a good fighter for a while.”

And Ruiz’s fellow Mexican Canelo Alvarez joined the festival atmosphere by posting: “Viva Mexicooooo! Congratulations Andy I'm so glad to see someone with determination succeed.”