Your opinions on John Ruiz

and isn’t that we all try to do in our lives

 

Oh yes. Lennox was terrified.

 

Or Holyfield had just fallen off a cliff!

 

I've heard rumors.

Let's just say Johnny played his role well.

 

Who, at that time, would have thought Ruiz would go on to have a much more successful career than Tua?

 

Yes he was a champion, sort of, but that’s really the extent of praise I’m personally willing to give him.

The belt that he held, was not gained through victory over the true champion, Lennox Lewis. Lewis was stripped by the WBA for not fighting it's number one fighter Ruiz, but fought Grant instead.

So Ruiz then has a trilogy with a thirty eight year old Holyfield who was way past his sell by date. Each of these bouts were close and controversial, the results being, one fight for Holyfield, one for Ruiz, and one final draw, allowing Ruiz to hold his belt. However most feel that Holyfield had won the last fight, which was ruled a draw.

Ruiz never fought a real titleholder to gain the belt, facing another contender for a vacant title. Didn’t beat his first defense but won after his opponent, I forget who, kept low blowing and got disqualified. Lost it Jones jr in his next defense.

My opinion of Ruiz was he was connected through Don King and got opportunities he didn’t deserve and made the most of his lack of talent.

 

Ruiz is the kind of guy who loses fantasy fights to guys he beat in real life because nobody was watching.

 

Ruiz fights are dreadful to watch... except the ones where Stoney is in peak forum. He might be the one trainer who is more animated and entertaining than the fighter he trains. Dude makes Teddy Atlas look like Ben Stein. Literally, who else but Stone would be offensive enough to get himself kicked out of the corner? Legendary stuff.

 

If you take away the butts,clinching and elbows he did ever major fight he was in. You have a bit of an upgraded version of Scott Ledoux.

 

This interview says it all:

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The hard work, the heartbreak, the sacrifices, he had limited skills but performed at a high level. First Puerto Rican hw champ of the world. Even fast fres trained by Trinidad Sr lost to him

The thing I will always admire about Ruiz (and the Holyfield trilogy) was how he switched his style up to pugilism instead of herky jerky just to please his fans in the James Toney fight. He had great conditioning and held his own. Had he manhugged it out he woulda most likely woulda eeked out a close decision, probably.

Also some high points in his career that nobody can take away from him: a parade in Puerto Rico and a dinner at the whitehouse with the president at the time.

 

I think both Ali and Holyfield were past their best when they met these nemesis’

 

You are not serious, are you?

 

John Ruiz only turned over his hotel room key to Roy Jones Jr for a short stay at the Heavyweight Hotel, nothing more.

 

Scott ledoux was at least entertaining to watch and threw a lot of punches.

I would rather go to the dentist than watch a John Ruiz fight. Unless I know someone is going to knock him out.

 

Say what you want sbout ruiz but in an 18 year career spanning 54 fights very few got an easy night against him. Tua caught him cold....haye beat him up at the end and roy outclassed him. But in 9 defeats...4 we,re split decisions another one a majority decision. The other one was competetive as well.

He had a pretty good career with 44 wins in 54 fights and was better than hes rated. Very few got an easy night.