Triller Fight Club has announced a heavyweight clash between former unified heavyweight world champion Andy ‘The Destroyer’ Ruiz Jr., (34-2, 22 KOs), of Imperial, CA and top rated and undefeated contender Tyrone ‘King of the Ring’ Spong, (14-0, 13 KOs) of Paramaribo, Suriname set for Saturday, July 16 and emanating from the historic Plaza de Toros in Mexico City, Mexico.
The ten-round main event will headline a card broadcast on pay-per-view. The entire broadcast will be produced by Nigel Lythgoe, award-winning producer of “So You Think You Can Dance” and “American Idol.”
The 32-year-old Ruiz shocked the sports world, becoming the first Mexican heavyweight world champion on June 1, 2019, with a remarkable seventh-round knockout of undefeated, unified world champion Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden. Most recently, Ruiz was victorious with a 12-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Chris Arreola on May 1, 2021, in Carson, CA.
A world champion kickboxer, the heavy-handed Spong, currently training in South Florida, returns to the squared circle following a second-round knockout of Jeyson Minda in Merida, Mexico. Eleven of his thirteen knockouts have come within the first two rounds of his fourteen victories. He is the holder of the WBC Latino heavyweight and WBO Latino heavyweight titles.
“Triller and Fight Club like to trailblaze. We have high expectations for this event. It matches the world’s best heavyweights in boxing and MMA in a battle to determine who is the best. Surrounding it with a Trillerfest where the best musicians, Verzuz, sports, and celebrity events will bookend this historic fight,” said David Tetreault, President of Triller Fight Club.
Opened in 1946, Plaza de Toros is the world’s largest bullring. In 2004, It played host to the third fight between Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and former world champion Frankie Randall.