John Ruiz vs Floyd Patterson

Always nice to see Patterson win a hypothetical matchup

 

This is one of those fights where the ref will be a big factor. If the referee allows Ruiz to use his mauling, hit and hold tactics to smother Patteron's speed, then Ruiz would have a better chance.

If Patterson is able to establish space, then the fight looks more like Jones Jr. VS Ruiz where Floyd FAR superior speed and skill dictates the outcome.

I'm going with Floyd. Even though I don't like Ruiz at all and he was my least favorite heavyweight champion, the guy was good at finding a way too win but I think Floyd's speed and skill trumps Ruiz's size and determination.

 

Ruiz was on another level. His genius will be understood by future generations. In his own time, the arrogant and unwitting were but swine before the pearls of his talent and craft.

Floyd submits before round 8.

 

Yes, but Ruiz was badly losing in a fantasy match up against Rahman here until I reminded the other posters that Ruiz had actually fought Rahman and won.

 

Patterson is not that much better than Herbie Hide in the chin department but I think his combo punching and speed would be a big factor. If Ruiz thought that RJJ and Haye were fast, he would be in a different world dealing with Pattersons combos. It would look like Patterson vs Brian London.

 

I don't want to sound like the modern day boxing fan.. ipso facto 2026 overcomes anything 1956 etc...
But isn't Ruiz too big and mauling? He got up from a couple of Holyfield knockdowns, too (with some help from the ref, Joe Cortez, I believe, when it should have been over)..

But.. I've reversed my vote.. late 60's, early 70's Patterson beats Ruiz

 

John Ruiz gets underrated, but so is Floyd. Ultimately against fighters with Patterson's handspeed you gotta be granite or extremely on point, and in my book John covered with more unsightly timing the fact that he wasn't all that all around. I think Floyd explodes on him among those small lulls and mistakes he'll find.

 

When you're getting bounced off the canvas by a debuting Pete Rademacher, a journeyman Tom McNeeley, they aren't great signs that would give people confidence picking you in fights. But he brings explosive combo punching that I don't think Ruiz has seen in his career. Floyd looks very fluid early in his career and in his title run when you look at his offence. I think he's underrated today. This is a pretty good video of his prime.

This content is protected

 

I like Patterson by a comfortable decision here

 

I hate that Ruiz could win this fight. I'll say Patterson uses his hand speed to win, but if Patterson is too aggressive, Ruiz will just hit him, grab him up and sap Patterson's energy. I think Patterson wins this fight more often than not, but it's interesting and Ruiz would win a couple if they fought 10 times.

 

Post title reign Patterson was the best version of Floyd imo.

I’m not sure how many KDs exactly that version of Patterson suffered but I believe the number was that much less than the KDs he had suffered previously.

I won’t go into all the whys and wherefores but I think Floyd’s chin is a bit underrated. No, not granite but certainly not glass either.

Roy Jones was able to notably stun Ruiz at least once during their fight. If Floyd can land right, I can see him hurting Ruiz that much more.

As already stated here, the refereeing conduct is very crucial in this match .

If Floyd has a ref like Jay Nady on his side, preventing Ruiz from executing his usual mauling, crowding and dirty spoiling tactics (what else was Ruiz good for otherwise? Lol.) Patterson is very much good to go to take this easily, just imo.

 

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

This content is protected

 

Presuming the rules of boxing are properly enforced, Floyd Patterson destroys that cheater.

Ruiz's entire career at the world class level is basically illegitimate - the product of rigged rankings, blatant cheating, and outrageous gift decisions.

Once he signed with Don King after getting starched by Tua, he began a suspicious rise in the rankings, and got undeserved title shot after undeserved title shot for the WBA belt.

In fight after fight, Ruiz blatantly violated the rules against excessive holding to "win" fights he could never have done within the rules with his limited skills. Name virtually any fight Ruiz had against a rated opponent, and he should have been disqualified for excessive holding.

Worse yet, in at least three fights, he blatantly faked "low blows" to get crucial point deduction, avoid being counted out for a KO, or get an unjustified DQ "win" - against Jimmy Thunder, Holyfied (second fight) and against Kirk Johnson, respectively.

And then there are the gift decisions. The worst, of course, was against Andrew Golota, where Ruiz was outlanded, knocked down twice, and got another point deducted, and STILL got the decision!!!! Talk about corruption.

None of this would have happened without his connections to King. Without King to get him ranked, and influence refs and officials to look the other way at his illegal and shameful tactics, Ruiz would have been lucky to be a regional beltholder and fringe contender at the world level. Not only is he the least deserving titlist in boxing history, he is the most disgraceful and shameful. A cheater and fraud, top to bottom.

 

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.