Billy's Boxing Blog

By William Trillo

You know that newly crowned heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. has really shook up the world when thriving internet websites like www.melmagazine.com reach out to yours truly to explain one of the biggest upsets in the heavyweight division since Tyson vs. Douglas.

All kidding aside we have made good friends with the guys over at Melmagazine and we are happy to give our two cents even though there are more than a few who think we are pretty clueless. Whatever!

Coming off his visit with the El Presidente in Mexico, ( I guess that answers Iole’s thoughtless question), this seems like the perfect time to share the interesting article.

Screw Summer Bod, Here’s How to Get World Champ Absolute Unit Bod

Check out www.Pound4Ppund.com for all the latest boxing news.

By William Trillo

When the Heavyweight Champion of the World loses his title to an unknown underdog in the fashion that the disgraced Anthony Joshua did on Saturday night it’s a pretty safe assumption that any other boxing news and results from the weekend are going to fall off the radar screen. Such is the case for the WBA Super 168 pound champion Callum Smith (26-0, 19 KO’s) who on the same night on the same broadcast obliterated Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam inside of three rounds.

Smith’s destruction of N’Dam was surgical. By sending his foe down three times with precision punches Smith looked like a beast. Had it been any other fighter the fight could have very well ended in the first round but if you know the track record of N’Dam then you know there is no quit in the man. Thankfully the ref had seen enough after the third knockdown and saved N’Dam from further abuse at the hands of Smith.

On any other night that would have been the hot topic in barber shops the following week but with the major upset in the Main Event Smith’s performance can’t get a sniff. It’s almost as if the fight didn’t exist.

Smith saw this fight as his audition for Canelo in September or May but because of all the bruha surrounding Andy Ruiz his performance most likely will get lost in the shuffle.

Ruiz’s Biggest Mexican Fan

One would think that Saul “Canelo” Alvarez would want all the spotlights in boxing to shine on him but trust me when I say that no one has become a bigger fan of Andy Ruiz than Canelo himself. From Mexico City to Mexicali there is no one cheering louder for Ruiz.

If you are asking why then you didn’t read the above Callum Smith article.

Smith looked like a destroyer on Saturday night and it’s pretty unlikely Canelo is going to want to take a stab at his 168 pound title until the tail end of his multi-fight deal at DAZN. No need suffering the same fate as Joshua.

Spare me the argument that Canelo has already beat a 168 pound champion. That was WBA Regular Champ Rocky Fielding. I still have no idea what a regular champ is. Callum Smith is the reigning Super Super Middleweight Champion. If that sounds redundant don’t blame me. The fact is Smith is the real 168 pound champion for the WBA. No one with an ounce of boxing knowledge will dispute that.

But…because of the upset in the Main Event on Saturday night most casual boxing fans don’t even know Smith fought and for Canelo I am sure that’s just fine. The less we talk about this guy the less Canelo will have to hear about getting in the ring with Callum.

Trust me, no one was cheering louder for Ruiz than Canelo.

In fact, I might be mistaken but I am sure that was a Red Head I saw driving the Andy Ruiz Band Wagon.

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing truth.

By William Trillo

When Andy Ruiz shellacked heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua to become the first Mexican Heavyweight of the World it seemingly opened the door to some of the most ridiculous statements I have ever heard. Now remember, I live in the world of boxing where stupid statements are par for the course, so to speak. So when I say these were some of the most ridiculous statements….well, you get the picture.

For instance, “He isn’t the first Mexican Heavyweight Champ. What about John Ruiz?”

Hey Copernicus, “John Ruiz is Puerto Rican!”

Then there was the not very astute observation, “Andy Ruiz is not Mexican, he was born in California.”

Not Mexican ‘cuz he was born in California. Hmm…ya might wanna check that theory out with ancestry.com

But the topper comes from boxing hack Kevin Iole. In what can only be described as an extremely insensitive comment after the fight this weekend Iole tweeted, “Andy was born in the U.S. What is all this doing for Mexico.

After getting lamb-basted across social media Iole scrambled and said he could have worded that statement better.

Sorry but Iole does not get a pass here. Had he blurted out that statement in a post fight interview you might let the blurb slide for not thinking before he spoke. That happens.

But Iole was at his keyboard when he let that blast fly. Dude is a professional writer. Are you telling me he couldn’t proof read that slam before he hit send?

BS!

Iole said what he meant and meant what he said. His back-pedal job is not accepted.

In regards to his question, “What does that do for Mexico?” Allow me to help ol’ Tubby out.

Andy’s parents immigrated here from Mexico and he was born in Imperial, California. His Father came to this country and worked hard and started his own business from scratch, nothing was handed to him. Andy started boxing at a boxing gym his grandfather opened in Mexicali when he was seven. As we know Andy followed his dream and became the heavyweight champion of the world.

So when Iole asks what did that do for Mexico, the answer is pretty clear. Contrary to what Ioles President says all Mexicans do not come to America to rape, plunder and pillage.

It really pisses me off that Iole would dare cast aspersions on an entire race of people. It’s almost as if he would be happier if Ruiz was dealing drugs and stealing cars. Then he could say, “You see, my President is right, all Mexicans are crooks and thieves.”

What did it do for Mexico?

It gave a lot of people both north and south of the border hope. It showed that with hard work and vision anyone can climb to the top………Even Mexicans.

The great thing about the internet is once it’s out…it’s out there. You can’t un-ring that bell.

You might consider yourself God’s gift to boxing journalism but when you let fly with racially insensitive statements like that you have to own it. No amount of back-pedaling can save you.

What does that do for Mexico?

Really?

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing truth.

By William Trillo

You had your way,
Now you must pay,
I’m glad that you’re sorry now….

It was no sooner than soon to be ex-Heavyweight champ spit his mouthpiece to the deck and then have the referee wave off the fight giving huge (no pun intended) underdog Andy Ruiz the victory that I could hear Connie Francis singing her classic tune, “Who’s Sorry Now?” I know it’s hard to believe but that’s just the way my brain works…everything gets a soundtrack.

In this case the tune wasn’t rattling around in my head because of Ruiz’s unexpected KO over Anthony Joshua. For that matter it wasn’t for poor Joshua either. But as I saw Joshua standing there in the corner with his arms stretched across the ropes there were quite a few folks in boxing that came to mind as I heard Connie croon away. I wondered to myself how sorry they must be.

Those in question would be:

Chris Arreola: It was always assumed that Arreola was going to be the first Mexican Heavyweight Champion of the World. This should have been Arreola’s night. Chris should have been the first Mexican to buckle that Heavyweight Championship belt around his waist. But due to an admitted weakness for Burritos and Beer Arreola’s waist line ballooned and there wasn’t a belt on the planet that would fit. The truth is it’s really a shame. But as I have stated in the past, The pain of regret lasts a lot longer than the pain of discipline.

Dominic Breazeale: In late July of 2018 I went on assignment to The Legends Boxing Club in Norwalk, California to watch an open workout of an up and coming fighter. Working out in another ring that day were top heavyweight contenders Andy Ruiz and Dominic Breazeale. They were both under the tutelage of Manny Robles who is becoming one of the go to trainers in Southern California. I find it somewhat of a coincidence that they both ended up fighting for a version of The Heavyweight titles just days apart. The difference here was that for whatever reason Breazeale packed his bags and headed north to work with Virgil Hunter. Ruiz stayed with Robles. Breazeale had no gameplan and was embarrassed inside of one round by a thunderous Deontay Wilder. Ruiz, as we know, dropped Joshua four times and took the title. Do with that information as you will.

Eddie Hearn/Matchroom: Moments after Anthony Joshua’s shocking loss at the hands of newly crowned Champion Andy Ruiz Hearn said, “AJ will be back” over and over again. Hearn was obviously stunned and at a loss for words. What else could he say? Hearn made it clear there was a rematch clause in place and was already announcing that fight would take place in the U.K. sooner rather than later. Later that evening at the post fight press conference Hearn sounded a bit more realistic about his fighter when he said, “This will eat him up bad. Some fighters lose and fight back; some never come back the same.” Hearn might want to get a bit more realistic when talking about an immediate rematch. With Al Haymon controlling not only Ruiz but the entire heavyweight division it won’t be all that surprising to see Haymon stonewall Hearn and put that rematch off until somewhere around the twelfth of never.

Bob Arum/Top Rank: Whether it was a lack of commitment at a certain stage of his career or not Ruiz has always displayed the talent and skill to perform on a world class level. Bob Arum knew that and that is why he signed him back in the day. How and why Arum let Ruiz go to his arch nemesis Al Haymon is anyone’s guess but you have to imagine there was a little bit of egg on Bob’s face when he woke up Sunday morning.

DAZN: I must admit I don’t know a lot about the finances involved in boxing promotion but no matter how hard I try I can’t figure out how DAZN is going to pay these huge contracts fighters like Joshua and Canelo have in place with them. Whether it’s $9.99 per month or $99 per year for a subscription it seems the broadcast company is going to fall way short on funds. Especially now since their second biggest attraction has pulled up lame at the post. When I ran that thought by a respected boxing journalist he said, “Yeah, there is a bit of fools gold in play.” I also inquired with a part time boxing journalist and full time CPA, (he calls himself a Forensics Accountant). He said it smells of a Ponzi Scheme to him.

Yes, Ruiz shook up the boxing world this weekend and left many thinking about would should have or could have been.

The others are left wondering “what now?”

Check out www.Pound4Pound.com for all the latest boxing truth.