Ruiz of course. Tua never won the big one and unlike Tua, Ruiz' come back is very underrated. How many guys can come back from a KO like that to reign as champs?
Ruiz never "won the big one" either - he cheated by using excessive holding, and in other fights blatantly overacted to get "low blow" calls. And his connections with King allowed him to get away with it. At least Tua won the fights he won clearly and convincingly.
I think winning two title fights would qualify as winning the big one.If Ruiz didn't get robbed against Valuev he would be a three time champ and sure bet for the hall of fame.
:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl Ruiz CHEATED. And King's shenanigans allowed him to get away with it. He's a fraud. Without King, he'd have been lucky to win the New England regional title, let alone some paper "world" belt.:hey
If Tua didn't ko Ruiz in 10 seconds, Ruiz wouldn't be fighting with punch and hold so many damn times in which he wouldn't be a 2 time heavyweight champion but lets be real Ruiz barely got by an old Holyfield. And Ruiz won a vacate wba title by beating Rahman by decision (Tua tko Rahman)
Those are just not true. Ruiz: Wins: Holyfield (+ draw) Johnson Rahman Oquendo Golata McCline (not too significant) Losses: Kobozev/Nicholson - early, but somewhat telling? Tua - 1st step up, obvious H2H significance Holyfield Jones Toney (NC) Chagaev Valuev x2 Tua: Wins: Ruiz Izon (not too sig, but "prime" Izon, for what it's worth) Rahman (+ draw) Oquendo Moorer Losses: Ibeabuchi Lewis Byrd Without getting into close fights/low blows/etc., the resumes are quite close. Note that Tua never lost to a poor fighter and Ruiz failed as often as he succeeded against good competition (as Tua has). While Ruiz has the single best win, he has the extra losses. Resume edge goes to Ruiz, but it's not "much better", especially when you factor in the H2H. Tua has some other good wins.
Tua has always been one of my few Favorite HWs. But unfortunately, Legacy wise I John "the Hugging man" Ruiz ranks higher.
Ok, school me then, oh genius... who is a better win for either guy? Rahman? Who an OLDER Holyfield beat?? Seriously, who is a better win? Johnson (by sloppy dq) Rahman (beaten by Holy) Oquendo (no sig wins of his own) Golata (good effort, but still well past it) Ruiz (1st step up for Ruiz) Maskaev (green) And I specifically noted how Tua had lost to only quality competition.
Holyfield was a champ at cruiser in the 80's, you cant get more past it, and old holyfield still managed to beat ruiz! The better win, is obviously Tua knocking out ruiz!