Tyson was done by 2002. I remember seeing those pictures of him in Cuba about 5 months before he fought Lewis and he looked fat and old, and in not fit state to continue his career. Ruiz was tough enough to be going 12 round draw with Holyfield at the time. Evander was years past his best but he was still a tough fit fighter with a ton of heart and determination. Tyson was at this time a media circus, who's formidable nature was by now just a complete myth being kept alive by the media and the boxing business to justify him being put forward as a money-making machine one last time. Ruiz is an ordinary fighter, but a damn sight better than a Nielsen or an Etienne.
He was actually in Hawaii which was worse. There was pictures of him smoking pot on the beach with a bunch of hippies. He was trying to get out of that fight from day one, he wanted no part of it and didnt care at all about the title.
Yeah, I remember thinking the same thing. He wanted out, big time. It was kind of sad that he was rolled out that one last big title fight to take a beating and make the sport some money. But even Las Vegas wouldn't touch that fight, Tyson was so unhinged and unpredictable at that time.