John Ruiz fights “White Tyson” Saturday in Dusseldorf, Germany
Two-time world heavyweight champion of the world John Ruiz (41-6-1, 28 KOs) broke training camp Thursday in Las Vegas and has arrived in Germany for Saturday’s mandated WBA elimination fight against #2 ranked Ruslan “White Tyson� Chagaev (21-0-1, 17 KOs) in Dusseldorf. The winner of Ruiz-Chagaev will be the mandatory challenger for WBA heavyweight champion Nicolay Valuev.
“Training camp was great,� Ruiz said before departing for Germany. “I’m very happy with the way training has gone. We’re ready for the fight. There’s still a week to go and I’ll be training a little over there. Training camp felt different from past camps. It was totally different. I worked on some new things and I really enjoyed it; not just the training but learning, moving on to bigger and better things, in my career and life.�
Ruiz lost his WBA title belt in December to Valuev by a controversial split decision. “Like I’ve said in the past,� said Ruiz, “I really enjoyed everything about Germany – the people and country – other than the final outcome. Valuev’s been holding my belt. I’ve trained a lot harder for this fight so I won’t have to rely on the judges for a decision.�
Chagaev, who holds WBA Inter-Continental and WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight champion belts, has been compared in European boxing circles as a left-handed Joe Frazier because of his aggressive, come-forward style. As an amateur, Ruslan represented Uzbekistan in the 2000 Olympics. In 1997, he upset Cuban great Felix Savon.
Chagaev’s most notable victories as a pro have come in his last two fights, both in Germany, against former European heavyweight champion Michael Sprott (28-9) by eighth-round TKO last July and a 12-round majority decision in March to previously unbeaten and current European heavyweight titleholder Vladimir Virchis (20-1).
“It is a great chance to fight against Ruiz,� Chagaev said when the fight was announced. “He is well experienced with 49 fights, but I will win.�
“I’m not looking past Chagaev,� Ruiz said. “He’s dangerous and likes to come right at you, but that’s my game. I still believe that I’m the best heavyweight in the world. When I return home with a win I’ll be willing to fight any of the so called world champions.�
You have got to be kidding me! Ruiz is not only the boringness heavyweight champion in the history of the sport, he is the most unskilled heavyweight in the history of the sport who underservingly held the heavyweight by making his title defenses against unskilled fighters who would have been KO’ed within three rounds of any heavyweight great. If Chageav prepares and conditions himself for this fight. He will starch Ruiz and show the boxing world why they call him “White Tyson”. Ruiz is a joke should be the laughing stock of the heavyweight division for even thinking that he is the best heavyweight in the world. I would like for him to fight Klitschko, so Klitschko can retire this bum with the beating of his life (Worst than what David Tua did to him) so he can spare us the grief of ever watching him fight again!!!
Hope Chagaev KOs Ruiz.
Watching replays of Tua vs Ruiz always brings a smile to my face.
Chagaev must be prepared to go into the late rounds with Ruiz. Ruiz has the most boring style I have ever witnessed. His cluch and hold tactics frustrate many fighters. None the less I would not count him out too quickly. He gave Valuev a terriffic match and in my opinion he won. I don’t like his style and now refuse to watch him fight. But the outcome is not set in stone as was suggested..
Ok, as much as I agree with you guys, let’s not steamroll the guy until after the fight. Save your energy.
ruiz is still a fighter,he stood toe to toe with the beast from the east,give hem some respect.
i like shannos style,he looked good on the 4th.he can fight wladmir.
lets hope chagaev destroys ruiz then hopefully no promoter will touch him
Ruiz’s tactics “Punch and grab” is illegal and he should be penalized everytime he use those tactics. It’s not boxing, it’s wrestling. He needs to join the WWE. He’s only going to get away with that without getting knocked out because the average heavyweights today are out of shape and slow. A well-conditioned David Tua knocked him out. As for Shannon Briggs, if he comes in out of shape against Wladmir like he did against Sergei, Wladmir will make quick work out of him also. You all have to remember, Wladmir skills may not be complete and he has some flaws that can be exposed, but noone will expose him of those flaws coming in out of shape and not ready to show him different angles. It’s going to take someone will complete skills and great head movement to knock Wladmir off his reign. Samuel Peters had the best chance to do it, but he is not well-conditioned and he doesn’t have great head movement and his skills are not that.
the heavyweight division is in a big enough mess without john ruiz in it i hope chagaev beats the crap out of him and then hopfully he will retire
I THINK THIS RUIZ IS A DISGRACE TO BOXING .WHEN I WAS A LAD WE HAD REAL CHAMPIONS NOT MICKEY MOUSE BOXERS, I HOPE CHAGAEV HANDS HIM A REAL BASHING.
This can be a easy fight for White Tyson. It’s up to White Tyson’s team to get the ref’s ear before the fight. Drill the ref to watch out for Ruiz holding tactics.
If Ruiz can’t hold he gets frustrated and out of his game plan.
Jason, maybe Johnny should join Wrestling – He’ll become the second man in history to win heavyweight titles in Wrestling and Boxing after Primo Carnera (LOL)
poor ruiz,this are darck days,time will come,wladmir has ever bean in dark days too,but its over now.your good time is coming.
The customary anti Ruiz voices are in full flow. Everyone hates Johnny. Still never forget that the man keeps fighting to the end…a boring fighter perhaps but by no means a pushover. Ruiz is always rough and ready.
This is test for Chagaev I guess, not many of us know anything about him. White Tyson? we will find out soon.
Vincent, I am, by no means a hater. I’m not a fan of Johnny, I just find his style boring, and I find it frustrating that people like Andrew Golota were ripped off the chance to win the WBA belt they clearly deserved.
chagaev will definatly tear the ruiz apart, he is well skilled fighter,
aged ruiz stands very little chance against our white tyson
can anybody tell me on what channels will the fight be broadcasted??
The fight is on German free TV, tonight on ZDF at 22:45h CET.