What exactly did Ruiz do to earn a fight with Lewis?

Did he ever actually earn his position by the WBA? If so how? Weren't both Akinwande (till he tested for hepatitis) and Holyfield ranked ahead of him till some crafty configurations? The Ring didn't have him in their top 10 at the time. Vote and discuss.

 

clinch excessively

 

WTF? They never fought...:deal

MR.BILL:hat

If anything, blame Foreman for ducking Tony Tucker in 1995 and opting to defend the IBF title in an "Epic" fight instead against Axel Schulz during 1995.....

The WBA stripped Foreman and pitted "Seldon & Tucker" together for the belt in April 1995, which Seldon won by TKO....

Seldon lost to Tyson in '96, Tyson lost to Holy in '96, and Holy lost to Ruiz in 2001.... This is called: "Attrition."

The hell?:huh

MR.BILLhat

 

There are some here who claim Lewis "ducked" Ruiz because he was the WBA #1 contender. I propose we take a closer look at how Ruiz got this ranking and if he was worthy of fighting the heavyweight champion.

 

Ruiz was vastly more worthy of his No1 position than Lionel Butler was of his No1 position when he fought Lennox Lewis in 1995 in a WBC Title Eliminator. Butler's record was 22-10-1

 

Not the question. Try again.

 

You missed out the essential part where Holyfield lost the WBA title to Lewis, and Lewis relinquished or got stripped or something for not fighting Ruiz or Akinwande or someone.

 

The question is, what did Ruiz do to earn a mandatory position and do you agree with it?

 

Does NOBODY want to answer this? I figured Lewis detractors would be chomping at the bit to get to this question since they are so fond of claiming Lewis ducked Ruiz.

 

Yep, I spaced...patsch

"Holy-Lewis 2" suck Dodger dogs....:good

MR.BILL:hat

 

it's a simple enough question to answer. Ruiz was undefeated in over 4yrs and on an 11 fight unbeaten win streak as well as being the current NABF & NABA Heavyweight Champion so well worthy of his high ranking position. Ruiz also beat in that 11 fight win streak former champion Tony Tucker & Jimmy Thunder 31-6, Ray Anis 24-3, Jerry Ballard 19-1, Mario Crawley 21-1, Fernely Feliz 16-1 all up and coming contenders at the time they lost to Ruiz so all in all an excellent 4yr record especially compared to some of the other guys Lewis chose to fight like ****** Fortune, Lionel Butler, Tommy Morrison or even Ray Mercer who had been schooled by old Larry Holmes and hammered by Evander Holyfield. :good

 

11 fights over nobody special. Hell, Tucker is the best name during that period and you have repeatedly ridiculed Lewis fighting him. So how all of a sudden does he become a benchmark to get to Lewis? Have you even taken a look at the fighters these guys were facing before losing to Rtiz? Does that count for nothing?

 

Lewis was rebuilding after his first loss and was given Butler as a title eliminator, Lewis needed that fight, he in no way needed the fight with Ruiz when he was already champion.

 

you are Trolling... 31-6, 24-3, 19-1, 21-1, 16-1 & 55-6 = 166-18 that is a very impressive calibre of fighters for a contender to be fighting.

 

i agree.. Ruiz style and his unbeaten run was the last thing Lewis needed as champion so what Lewis done was get stripped of the belt.. Lewis fans like nothing better than to claim Riddick Bowe ducked their man by dumping the WBC belt in the garbage can yet Lewis was guilty of doing just that on two occasions.