Tua vs Moorer/Ruiz Reactions

I have "Tua-Moorer" from 2002..... Manny Steward was saying if Moorer moves he might last a while, but if he slugs with Tua, we'll be outta here early tonight......... Steward was right....... Moorer froze to death like an ice glacier..........

MR.BILL

 

The two fights impress the hell out of me. Whatever shortcomingd Tua revealed since then, and what his prospects are, however doubtful, don't detract from these two spectacular performances. He looked like the ultimate predator monster in both fights..the savage way he destroyed Ruiz and the almost casual bomb he ko'ed Moorer with..far more devastating than the Foreman ko of Moorer..(sigh)..Tua is one of the biggest disappointments..one of the most unfullfilled threats in the history of boxing.

 

Tyson had just come back and been fed the championship via Bruce Seldon
Bowe had recently knocked out Holyfield in their 3rd and final fight and Holyfield was thought damaged goods. He would stop Tyson for the title later the same year.

There were no significant young contenders, it seemed to be all about Bowe/Holyfield/Tyson

Tua/Ruiz was on a 1996 fightcard called "Night of the Young Heavyweights" on which undefeated Shannon Briggs was knocked out by quality journeyman Darrol "Doin Damage" Wilson, Ruiz was thought the best boxer of the bunch as had a well-schooled fairly aggressive boxer-puncher style, with ok speed and some pop.
I saw the leadup on TV and thought Ruiz was a bit arrogant like what the hell is this squat dwarf from nowhere going to do to me, of course it was a terrible night for him and he was destroyed.

Tua's bodyshape and explosiveness was not something often seen in the HW div and it basically put him on the map as the best young HW emerging talent. Ruiz disappeared in the rankings for a while until he eventually emerged with his mauling, momentum stopping huggy -bear style.

What happened to Tua afterwards we know he put too much weight on etc and then a few years later he fought Moorer who was a bit on the downslope a year or two after losing a devastating TKO7 rematch to an inspired Holyfield.
I knew he was going be lucky to get out of the first round, terrible style matchup and it was like he knew what was going to happen which was not good to see.

 

I'd have to review the tape........:yep

MR.BILL

 

Tua's ko of Moorer was not a shock. It was viewed as a chance for a good scrap by those that had seen Moorer vs Cooper, but I don't remember anyone giving Moorer more than just a chance.

Tua destroyed Ruiz on a HBO card featuring what was supposed to be the sport's best young talent battling it out for the right to be a top contender.

Tua became a big threat for the title annihilating Ruiz.

Tua showed he could still hit hard against Moorer.

 

Pretty much as I remember it too, good summary

 

If anyone remembers Ruiz in the early part of his career, he used to fight like Tyson. The bell would ring and he would fly out of his corner and start brawling. That all changed after the Tua fight. I dont think Ruiz was ever being touted as the next great thing either.
As far as Moorer Tua, what a stupid fight for Moorer to take. He had no chance and I remember saying no way he makes it out of the first round. Moorer just didnt have the footwork or style to box Tua the way he needed to. He liked to stay right in front of his opponents and shuffle around the ring trying to counterpunch. I wasnt even suprised he didnt make it through the first minute. He never had the chin or style to hang with the big punchers.

 

There was always interest in a Tua fight. Moorer was already written off as he retired and cameback and was not in great shape for the fight. Noone expected Moorer to win, let alone make it out of the first round.

 

Moorer had been retired for 3 years and had put in a few rounds against cans leading up to the fight. It's a good looking KO over a name, not much else to it.

Ruiz was a very good win that started Tua's launch as a contender.

 

Funny story about Tua-Ruiz. It was on HBO, which I did not have at the time. So, I had to convince my friend and his fiance- who had the deluxe, platinum cable- that we should get some beers, make some food and watch the fights. They were pure novices and thought the suggestion was odd, at best. They suggested boxing was a brutal anachronism that should be banned or at the very least not televised. FInally, my powers of persuasion won over and we prepared a big night of fight watching, eating and drinking.

I don't remember if Tua-Ruiz was the first fight of the night, I think it was the second. However, let's just say the party ended early when Ruiz' head landed in the fifth row, the girl almost in tears, my friend pissed at me for the suggestion of the night's activities. No amount of back-pedalling or explanation could help my case. I found the first opportunity to make an exit. Didn't even bother to grab my beer on the way out.

 

I have the program from that night. Ill have to dig it up. That was the night Briggs got his butt kicked by Wilson too. One of the fights was not televised, and they only showed highlights. Not sure if it was Doc Nicholson Golota or Tua Ruiz.

 

Styles make fights ... you go against a Tua you better be able to move and hold him off ... Lennoz used height and kept away ... makes you realize what a tough SOB Ike was though .. he got hit bombs and came right back ... that bout is an all time underated classic ...

 

I seem to remember Golota-Nicholson being the main event, Wilson-Briggs under that, and Tua-Ruiz opening. I think they also showed highlights of Michael Grant - Corey Sanders and Tshabalala - Lockett. HBO had nice things to say about Ruiz going in, but I don't remember having heard of him before the Tua fight, whereas Tua, Golota, and Briggs had all been featured on various USA Network (and others) shows.