Deontay Wilder vs John Ruiz, who takes it?

Ruiz was basically a journeyman who was aided by King to "win" fights he wouldn't have otherwise. Wilder, while also limited, can at least punch, which means that, if the rules of boxing are actually enforced against Ruiz, he loses, just like he always did when his illegal tactics were restricted by refs.

 

Ruiz would destroy Wilder worse than Nichols did

KTFO anywhere between 1-6 rounds

 

How? What fights? I wanna debate.

 

As others have stated, Ruiz violated the rules against excessive holding in virtually every fight he had against decent competition. He over-acted when hit with body shots in at least three fights, to get "low blow" calls that lead to crucial point deductions, avoid a KO loss, and in one instance get a thoroughly undeserved and disreputable DQ "win."

All of this was enabled, either overtly or subtly, by the influence of Don King, whose control and power in the sport led refs to look the other way or buy in to Ruiz's blatant rules violations and fakery.

And then, there is the horrid gift decision against Golota, one of the more blatant robberies of the era, where Ruiz was given a decision in which he was knocked down twice and outlanded, and yet was somehow given the decision!

Ruiz's entire career is a fraud, an affront to decent sportsmanship, and a prime exhibit of how connections with a powerful promoter can take a mediocre journeyman and get him undeserved title shot after title shot and bogus "victory" after "victory" against fighters who should have - and would have - beaten him had the rules been properly enforced.

 

Oh God, lol. When I get home and off my phone I can reply to this gem.

 

Here is my opinion, shortened.

First Holyfield fight, Ruiz won, end of story. I know, Holy landed that borderline shot but at the end of the day it is the refs call. Situations like that is why instant replay should be used. Borderline shots and other accidental fouls that are missed.

Rematch with Holy, Ruiz was arguably losing until he smashed Holy with that right hand. 3 point round, big moment in the fight. Wins the 12th round, 4 point swing in the last two rounds. I had Ruiz ahead and winning the decision. Again, borderline shot that hit the belt, referees discretion at that point.

Third fight. Super close, I had Holy 7-5. Ruiz was lucky to get the draw. Ugly fight, hard to score at times.

Johnson fight, Johnson blew it with stupid low blows. All of them were low. He also nearly got KO'd in round 9, should have been ruled down 2-3 times. Ruiz gets no credit for nearly stopping him. No one ever talks about that beauty counter right he hit him with. No one also mentions Ruiz landed nearly 50% of his punches during the fight. With the points Johnson lost, it was a close fight. Had Ruiz slightly ahead.

Jones fight. He lost fair and square to a legend. I didn't care for Nady not letting Ruiz get physical with Jones, since that was the big question going into the fight, can Jones handle Ruiz mauling and wearing him down, but Nady did what he felt was right so that is that.

Rahman fight, Ruiz nearly put him down in round 2 and outworked him. Fair decision win.

Oquendo. Ugly fight, Oquendo was the one clinching more than Ruiz. Ruiz hurt him in round 11 and was robbed of a clear stoppage or decision win.

Golota fight. This was a **** show. I had Golota well ahead after 6 rounds, with the 2 KD's he scored, one was def a bad call, and the point Ruiz lost, which was probably not fair either. Bad officiating as both guys were fighting dirty. Golota went silent from round 7 on and Ruiz clean sweeped on my card. I had him up 113-112. Golota could have gotten the nod, easily, but on my card he gave it away. Ruiz was landing all the hard blows the second half of the fight. Ruiz won by the skin of his teeth but he won.

Toney fight, he lost clearly but Toney was caught roiding like an idiot.

Both Valuev fights. I had Ruiz winning 116-112 in the first fight, clear robbery. Didn't see the rematch all the way through but that first match was a joke. Ruiz won.

Chagaev fight, didn't see it all but it seemed like he out worked Ruiz pretty clear.

McCline fight. Won a boring fight over a McCline that nearly beat Peter for a title not too long before. Solid win.

Haye fight, Haye clearly won and got the stoppage. Only thing here was if that fight was in America, Haye loses more points for the rabbit shots and doesn't get credit for some of the KD's, but he wins either way.

Ruiz held a lot, he isn't the first fighter to do it and won't be the last. It amazes me when other fighters do it and are praised but when he did it he was demonized. If it comes down to winning ugly or losing pretty, I will take the former than the latter. To call Ruiz a journeyman is a joke. If you look at his record outside of top 10 guys, he was 38-2. That isn't a journeyman. And one of those losses came to a future top 10 CW in Kobozev, a fight many had Ruiz winning, and the other loss was to Nicholson in a fight I had a draw. I thought Ruiz should have eeked that one out as well.

To call Ruiz a bad fighter shows no knowledge of the sport. If he was that bad, he would have been starched by every top guy he fought. He was a limited but TOUGH guy who found ways to win.

 

Ruiz UD 12 Wilder in an ugly as all get out fight. Say what you will about ruiz, he knew how to instill his will and game to the other fighter, taking them out of their zone. Wilder has shown nothing as of yet that he could do what more accomplished, and better HW's have tried and failed to do, and that's easily defeat The Quietman

 

I still think Wilder would have killed him with that jab and reach. I would take Wilder late, if not then a wide decision. If Ruiz could sneak in one of those nasty rights, he'd have a chance.

 

Down on points after 8 rds, Wilder stops Ruiz somewhere between rds 9-11.

 

Hopefully it ends in a double KO. Both are frauds, Ruiz inside the ring with his constant fouling tactics and Wilder for making a mockery of the sport with his terrible quality of title defenses.

 

Ruiz sleeps him.