The Andy Ruiz phenomenon. A world champion who looks like a burger guy.

The Andy Ruiz phenomenon. A world champion who looks like a burger guy.

Alexei Barinov

Alexei Barinov

We tell you how a “beer” belly helps you win a fight, and remember the athletes who were not prevented from success by extra pounds.

It doesn’t matter what you look like. As long as you train hard, focus on your goals and are hungry to win, as long as you are driven by the desire to achieve your dreams, anything is possible.”

Andy Ruiz is arguably this year’s biggest sensation in the boxing world. How did this Mexican fat guy beat Anthony Joshua and become the heavyweight champion of the world? Many people wonder how this guy with a “beer belly” and weighing more than 120 kilograms delivers such fast and strong punches and maintains seemingly unbelievable stamina for his body throughout the fight. Andy Ruiz has an impressive record of 33 wins (22 of them by knockout) and only one defeat in his professional career. However, the fight with overweight is, strangely enough, much more difficult for him.

At the start of his professional career, at the age of 19, Andy weighed 135 kg, and all the following years he is trying to lose weight, but still could not reach the desired, according to him, mark of 109-110 kg. “Snickers” is Andy’s favorite treat since his childhood. The boxer does not part with it anywhere, and even takes it with him on TV. The love for chocolate bar was instilled in Ruiz Jr. by his father, rewarding his son for all his small victories.

Sports nutrition specialist Dr. Mayur Rankordas gave his opinion on the matter: “When we work with someone in our lab, we start by measuring body composition – muscle mass versus fat mass,” says the specialist. – If you want to be a champion cyclist, you don’t need fat – it only adds weight and reduces speed. That’s not the case in boxing.

And while most boxers are looking to lose weight before a fight, Dr. Rankordas says that fat can be good for a boxer if he has enough physical strength to handle a high workload.

Will Andy be able to stay on top for a long time or will the extra weight play a trick on him? Either way, Ruiz is at the peak of his popularity right now and is preparing for his rematch with Joshua, which will take place on December 7 of this year.

By the way, Ruiz is not the only overweight boxer who has managed to reach great heights. In the middle of the last century, one of the most eccentric heavyweights in history Tony Galento amazed the whole world with his performances. At a height of only 172 cm he weighed 108 kg and was one step away from the title of world champion.

Similar examples exist in other sports. Elisa Casanova was the captain of the Italian national water polo team, which in 2012 won gold at the European Championships.

Elisa’s dimensions: height – 186 cm, weight – 100 kg.

Goalkeeper of the Angolan handball team Teresa Almeida, nicknamed Ba, became one of the symbols of the Olympics in Rio in 2016. Thanks largely to Teresa’s brilliant game, her team made it to the 1/4 finals, where the African women lost to the future champions, the Russian national team.

Theresa’s dimensions: height – 170 cm, weight – 98 kg.

Gilbert Brown is a legend of American soccer, center Tackle “New England Patriots”, winner of the Super Bowl in 1997. In his honor, the Burger King restaurant in Wisconsin even began temporarily selling a Gilbertburger, which weighed about 2.5 kg (93 ounces, in honor of Brown’s game number).

Gilbert’s dimensions: height – 188 cm, weight – 154 kg.

All of these examples once again prove that looks can be deceiving, and the athlete you least expect to be sharp and tough can take you down in a heartbeat. And in the case of Andy Ruiz, he will do it with a good-natured smile on his face.

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