Andy ‘The Destroyer’ Ruiz shocked the world when he pummeled formidable heavyweight king Anthony Joshua and claimed the Brit’s three world title belts – everyone except his mom and dad.
Proud parents Andy Ruiz Snr. and wife Felicitas were so confident their 29-year-old would become the first-ever Mexican-American heavyweight champ they placed a $1,000 bet on their son at 10-1 and have just collected their $10,000 winnings from a casino.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, construction boss Andy Snr., 57, and Felicitas, 58, from Imperial, California, also revealed how their son got his Destroyer nickname – and it wasn’t because of his ring prowess.
They say Ruiz drove off in a beach buggy as a strong-willed child sending beach goers flying, sparking chaos as he destroyed their belongings in the rampage.
Beaming mom Felicitas, speaking from the family home in Imperial – a small dusty town 200 miles south-east of Los Angeles – where Ruiz grew up with sister Jessica, 34, and brother Danny, 19, said: ‘No-one was giving Andy a chance at beating Anthony but we knew he was going to do it.
‘We were so confident we even told friends he would knock him out in the seventh round and we were right.’
The parents of Andy ‘The Destroyer’ Ruiz sat down for an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, sharing childhood photos of the star fighter. Proud Andy Ruiz Snr. and Felicitas were so confident their 29-year-old would win they placed a $1K bet on their son and just collected their $10K winnings
The proud grandfather – his son is a father of four – also told how his son started boxing aged just six and by 15 he was knocking out fighters five and even ten years older. Pictured: The future champion aged 12 boxing in Imperial, California in 2001
Ruiz, 29, became the first-ever Mexican-American heavyweight champ when he beat heavyweight king Anthony Joshua on June 1
Felicitas, who went to live in the US from Mexico as a seven-year-old with her family, added: ‘Luckily I put a thousand on him to win and he did it, I got a ten thousand back from a casino. We persuaded friends to places bets and they all won, too.
‘Andy now says he’s going to buy me a new car, a Buick SUV, so I’m very lucky.’
On Wednesday, Mexico rolled out the red carpet for Ruiz when the new WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion gave his first press conference in the country since beating Joshua in New York on June 1.
Ruiz became a superstar overnight and has done a host of talk show appearances and interviews since inflicting Joshua’s first professional defeat.
Dad Andy Snr, who arrived in the US as an eight-year-old immigrant, is looking after two of his son’s belts while Ruiz enjoys his success.
The family patriarch is also looking after one of Ruiz’s prized possessions, a Dodge Challenger car once owned by rapper The Game which his dad bought for him for $50,000 when his son, a fan, could first drive at 16.
And in a worrying message to Anthony Joshua’s camp, Andy Snr reckons the Brit will have an even tougher fight on his hands when the two have their rematch later in the year, because his boy will have more time to prepare than the five weeks he did for his epic seventh-round victory at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The proud grandfather – his son is a father of four – also told how his son started boxing aged just six and by 15 he was knocking out fighters five and even ten years older.
Felicitas said by age ten Ruiz (pictured aged 12 posing in front of his trophies) was battering 15-year-olds to the canvas; fueled by his mom’s mole chicken and watching Rocky movies on repeat
Ruiz, dubbed ‘The Mexican Butterbean’ because of his size, once met and posed with the chubby US boxing champ Butterbean (left) as a ten-year-old in Tijuana, Mexico. Ruiz also met and posed with Mexican boxer Erik Morales (together right) aged 11
‘Andy always used to have lots of energy as a kid,’ Andy Snr said. ‘He was very hyperactive running all over the place and he was a big little guy, too.
‘Aged three we took him on a beach holiday to San Felipe in Mexico and for just a few seconds we took our eyes off him.
‘The next thing was, he had jumped into a beach buggy that some guy had left on the beach with the engine running and he was driving straight into the holidaymakers on the beach.
‘People jumped up and started grabbing their kids and their possessions and leaping out of the way. He trashed a lot of belongings though and he only came to a stop when the buggy went into the sea.
‘After that, he was known as ”The Destroyer” and it has stuck with him through his boxing career.’
He added: ‘The thing was, when he was playing and running around he moved quick, he was always agile.
‘We took him to a doctor because he had a third nipple, which sounds crazy, but we talked to the doctor about him and he said, ‘Get him into sport’.
‘I tried baseball and soccer but he just took to boxing straight away. Aged six he trained at the Kids & Gloves gym in El Centro and soon had his first fight. He won of course.
‘At seven he boxed in San Diego against a kid who was 12. There was no-one in his age group as big as him so he had to fight older boys. He won that, too.’
Andy Snr. said: ‘Andy (pictured aged 8) always used to have lots of energy as a kid. We took him to a doctor because he had a third nipple…but we talked to the doctor about him and he said, ‘Get him into sport’. I tried baseball and soccer but he just took to boxing straight away’
Andy Snr said his son was determined to follow in the footsteps of Sylvester Stallone’s famous character – and now, via a mutual friend, a meeting with the celluloid boxing champ is on the cards. Pictured: Ruiz’s first professional fight at age 19
And the secret of Ruiz’s obsession with Snickers bars can also be revealed – it’s all down to his father giving him an energy boost as a kid.
‘To make Andy more hyper before his fights as a kid I would give him a Snickers bar before he had a fight,’ Andy Snr. said.
‘It would give him loads of energy and make him even more hyper than usual. It was like a secret weapon and it’s stuck with him since then.’
Into his teens, Andy was getting a reputation as ‘The Mexican Rocky’ after his father used to take him the short distance from their US home back to Mexico to fight.
Aged ten he was battering 15-year-olds to the canvas; fueled by his mom’s mole chicken and watching Rocky movies on repeat.
Andy Snr said his son was determined to follow in the footsteps of Sylvester Stallone’s famous character – and now, via a mutual friend, a meeting with the celluloid boxing champ is on the cards.
His dad said: ‘I really wanted to inspire him so I made him watch every one of the Rocky movies in order. He loved it. He wanted to be Rocky, a Mexican Rocky and he has. Now a friend of ours in Mexico who know Sylvester Stallone is trying to set up a meet. We’re hoping that happens.
‘He started really growing into his teen years, too. As well as the Snickers bars he loves his mom’s cooking of course, his favorite food is his mom’s mole chicken. He loves Chinese food, too. He just can’t get enough of it.’
Ruiz, dubbed ‘The Mexican Butterbean’ because of his size, once met and posed with the chubby US boxing champ Butterbean as a ten-year-old in Tijuana, Mexico.
It was meetings like this and a strong family unit that inspired a young Ruiz and kept him from going off the rails.
Andy Snr said: ‘He started dong street fights. At 15, guys in their 20s would seek him out for a fight. They knew he was tough and they wanted to beat him up to boost their reputations. That’s when we got serious about his boxing. We had a good talk about it as a family and decided to take him out of school aged 16 so he could train full time.’ Pictured: Ruiz aged 24 with his boxing belts
And the secret of Ruiz’s obsession with Snickers bars can also be revealed – it’s all down to his father giving him an energy boost as a kid. ‘To make Andy more hyper before his fights as a kid I would give him a Snickers bar before he had a fight,’ Andy Snr. said
Ruiz became a superstar overnight and has done a host of talk show appearances and interviews since inflicting Joshua’s first professional defeat
‘WORK, PLAY AND LUNCH!’ ANDY RUIZ’S SCHOOL DAYS REVEALED
New world heavyweight boxing champ Andy Ruiz is known for his love of Snickers chocolate bars… but here he is munching an apple.
The pudgy boxer was pictured as a 14-year-old at his old school, Frank Wright Middle School in Imperial, California, back in 2003. In a school yearbook, he also features on a page for kids who liked to ‘Work, Play and Lunch!’
He was the biggest kid in his class as an eight-year-old at the nearby Ben Hulse Elementary School.
Ruiz in his class picture at Hulse Elementary
The principal there, Traci Gibbs, who taught the youngster back in 1997, said: ‘He was a big guy, a lovely kid. Yes he liked his food but he was a gentle giant. He wasn’t a bully at all.
‘If anything he would stand up for kids who were being picked on. We are absolutely over the moon at his success and we were thrilled to find we had his photos.’
Victor Cruz, head of athletics at Imperial High School which Andy attended until he was 16, said: ‘I last saw him on the track here two months ago.
‘He doesn’t look fit but boy, appearances are deceptive. He is a big engine. He was dedicated and laser-focused with his boxing.
‘He was a good student but he knew early on he wanted to box.’
The pudgy pugilist was pictured as a 14-year-old back in 2003. In a school yearbook, he also features on a page for kids who liked to ‘Work, Play and Lunch!’
Former math teacher Anthony Vandiver added: ‘He was a quiet kid but bright. And big, probably 300lbs.
‘He got a reputation as a kid who wouldn’t quit. He would always keep trying at what he did.’
William Estes, who taught him American history, said: ‘I saw him recently at the 4:13 gym in town. He worked out so hard I couldn’t match it.
‘Appearances are deceptive with Andy. We’re so proud a world champion came from this school. He’s an inspiration to the other kids.’
‘He started dong street fights,’ his dad recalls. ‘At 15, guys in their 20s would seek him out for a fight. They knew he was tough and they wanted to beat him up to boost their reputations.
‘Only, he would beat them up. But then more kids would challenge him. It was a vicious circle. That’s when we got serious about his boxing. We had a good talk about it as a family and decided to take him out of school aged 16 so he could train full time.
‘He lived and trained in Mexico City, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It was tough for all of us to manage but it was worth it.
‘As a treat on his 16th birthday when he could drive I bought him a car once owned by The Game as a special present.
‘He loved it and wants to restore it to its former glory now he has money.
‘He also once sparred with heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield in LA and Evander asked for chest protection because Andy hit him so hard.’
Aged 18, Ruiz became a father for the first time with his high school sweetheart, Nikki. As well as daughter Bella, ten, they also had a son Andy Ruiz III, also known as AJ, seven.
He also has two kids, Richie, two, and Beverly, one, with his stunning girlfriend, Julie, with whom he lives in El Centro.
Ruiz’s sister Jessica, a regular visitor to their parents’ house, said: ‘After beating Anthony, Andy said he is now going to be the best baby daddy ever. He’s determined to provide for his kids and all his family.’
Their father added: ‘There has been a lot of sacrifices to get to this stage. While he trained for the Joshua fight I was helping pay him so he could look after his family. Now he can do that.
‘He’s going to be sensible with his money. Like me, he’s going to invest in land and build properties to sell. He’s going to use his money to make more money.
‘He’s also going to have a new home built for himself and his family.’
Looking ahead to the rematch, the proud dad is confident Ruiz will once again prevail.
‘Anthony Joshua was a total gentleman after Andy beat him,’ dad Andy Snr said. ‘He was just what we expect an Englishman to be. Very gracious in defeat and he could not have been nicer to my son and my family.
‘But he should be very, very worried about the rematch. Andy only had five weeks to prepare for that fight because he was a last-minute replacement. Imagine what he will be like in five months’ time.
‘Yes he looks out of shape but he is completely fit and focused. Nobody can doubt that now. Andy knows he has made history.
‘He is an American champion, the first-ever Mexican heavyweight champion. He has the pride of two nations on his shoulders, plus his family. It’s a responsibility he will not squander.
‘I’d love for the rematch to be in Mexico City and I want Andy to be paid $50 million but we will see.
‘Imagine the atmosphere in Mexico, it would be sensational. Andy is so proud of his Mexican roots. He refused to fight Anthony unless the Mexican national anthem was played as well as the American one.’
Andy Snr said the family has never been to Britain but if the rematch happens there they will be ringside to ‘do our job.’
Looking ahead to the rematch, the proud dad is confident Ruiz (pictured with Anthony Joshua) will once again prevail, saying Joshua ‘should be very, very worried’
Andy Snr posing with one of Ruiz’s prized possessions, a Dodge Challenger car once owned by rapper The Game which his dad bought for him for $50,000 when his son, a fan, could first drive at 16
He added: ‘None of us have ever been to Britain before but that doesn’t phase us.
‘People like Anthony’s promoter Eddie Hearn had a shocked look on his face when Anthony lost. Before the fight I could tell when I met him that he didn’t rate Andy at all.
‘Afterwards, he looked like someone had stolen his wallet. He was in shock.
‘He’d better get used to that feeling because the same thing is going to happen again.’
Andy Snr also believes his son has what it takes to beat Tyson Fury, another big British name in the heavyweight world.
‘I know Andy would beat Tyson Fury, too. Andy likes to mix it with the tall guys. He can get under those big swings and work quick combinations. Tyson is a great target to go after.
‘This is Andy’s time now. He goes from earning hundreds, to thousands to millions per fight. Next week we’re traveling to Mexico City to meet the Mexican President. He’s on the world stage and he’s not going to give it up for anyone.’