Birmingham, of Chelsea, stood at the podium as Ruiz and his entourage entered the Ironworkers Local 7 Union Hall to the theme song from Rocky. “Let’s give a warm South Boston welcome to the heavyweight champion of the world,” said Birmingham. As the crowd erupted into cheers, Ruiz stood beside Birmingham and proudly held his World Boxing Association championship belt aloft.

Ruiz, one of the breakfast’s most popular attendees, thanked the crowd for welcoming him “even though I’m not Irish.” Several in the crowd roared back with cries of “You are today!” Others just chanted Ruiz’s name.

After Ruiz departed, Birmingham likened himself to the boxer, who is a Chelsea native and the first Hispanic heavyweight champ. “If a guy from Chelsea can become the heavyweight champion of the world, is it really too hard to imagine that another guy from Chelsea could be governor of the Commonwealth?” Birmingham asked. (Birmingham’s first encounter with the Ruiz family came when the he read to the champ’s son in the Chelsea public schools.)

It made for the kind of colorful political theater that Birmingham’s political career has all too often lacked. Birmingham’s biggest negative is that he wears the State House around his neck like an albatross. Engaging in a light moment with one of the most popular athletes in Massachusetts allowed him to break out of his Beacon Hill mold.

“I think it was a very smart move,” says Democratic political consultant Michael Goldman. “It took him out of Beacon Hill. It highlighted some pride in the area. Someone was really thinking here.”