I like John Ruiz. He was like Rocky. Did very well with relatively limited natural ability at the top/Euro level. He beat a pretty good version of Holyfield, arguably deserved the win against SNV and has a few decent wins over top contenders. He was lucky he never ended up in the ring with Lewis or the Klitschkos though :deal
The best thing about Ruiz was Norman "Stoney" Stone. He was greater than Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy combined ! :yep [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TVi6qugGBw[/ame] "HE'S COMING OUT !" :rofl:rofl:rofl
For dust to have settled, it first has to be raised. In John's case, it only accumulates. He was the Quiet Man because he put audiences to sleep, and I watch his bouts when treating my insomnia. You, my friend, have a most demented sense of humor. However, I would have loved seeing Ruiz attempt to apply his clutch and grab against the likes of Foreman, who would have shoved him away repeatedly, and eventually out of the ring.
I think he was suffering from PTSD for the remainder of his career after this... [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FZ4ZlT63xU[/ame]
In the words of John McEnroe Seamus, YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS? The disease that is John Ruiz? I rather talk about a Butterbean appreciation thread or a Jimmy Thunder from down under appreciation thread. Everything about Ruiz was wrong for the sport IMO. Still, just my opinion. Wait a minute, someone please tell me he's not coming out of retirement or making noise about challenging the Klitschko's? That's beyond madness! Ruiz is in the greatest place right now, "Never heard from him again Island." Too bad MMA couldn't pry him away. If I can say one kind thing about Ruiz is the fact that he actually took up the sport, and any man brave enough to get in the squared circle and throw punches(despite Ruiz rarely doing so, more holding), earns my praise, so I'll give him that. Nothing else. Oh, he's the greatest whiner, complainer and purveyor of turning body shots from his opponent into low blows. His acting is on par with soccer player dives.
What is there to appreciate? :roflatsch The clinching, holding, grabbing, wrestling, or faking low blows? All the ugly close controversial decisions he was in?
I congratulate you on not mentioning a Klitschko brother. But you are still apparently butt hurt over Byrd/Lewis. I've educated numerous posters(some morons like yourself, some actually very intelligent) on the subject, so if you want a "go" bring it or shut the **** up. At any rate, Golota/Ruiz is a classic. Very fun fight. Ruiz could be a pain to watch but he was an effective fighter and perhaps unfairly dismissed. In terms of overall achievement and resume, he is in the upper tier of his era, and deserves more respect. From 2000-2005 The Quiet Man fought 11 straight top 10 Ring opponents with a solid winning record of 5-4-1-1; who else took on such consistent stiff competition in recent years with a winning record to show for it? Not Wlad, not Lewis, not Byrd, nobody fought that many straight contenders. He many not be a great, but he was damn good, like it or not.