Andy Ruiz couldn’t have been anymore motivated as the underdog against Anthony Joshua.

Andy Ruiz entered as an 11-1 underdog against unified champion Anthony Joshua. It was a bout where he wasn’t given a chance to win by many. In the outcome of a loss against Joshua, Ruiz wasn’t even expected to go the distance.

Instead he wound up becoming the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent in history, and all the doubt served as fuel to the new unified champion.

“I wanted to prove everybody wrong,” said Ruiz. “All the doubters thinking I was gonna lose in the first round, third round. I was looking at comments as well. But what do you know man, I’m the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world. It’s a blessing man.”

Joshua was originally scheduled to face Jarrell Miller, but Miller was scratched from the fight after he failed a VADA drug test in April. That’s when Ruiz seized the moment by reaching out to Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, and vowed to defeat the British superstar.

And he proved to be a man of his word. After his victory, Ruiz took a moment to honor his mother, who sat ringside as he made history.

“Mom, I love you,” said Ruiz. “I love you, and our lives is gonna change. We don’t have to struggle no more. Thanks to god, everything happened for a reason baby.”