Former two-time WBA world heavyweight champion John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz signed with Golden Boy Promotions last week.
Ruiz (44-8-1-1, 30 KOs), a native of Methuen, Massachusetts, is scheduled to fight current WBA world heavyweight champion David “The Hayemaker” Haye (23-1, 21 KOs) for his title on April 3 at Wembley Stadium in London.
In an interesting slant, Golden Boy also promotes Haye.
“I’m excited to become a member of the Golden Boy Promotions family and know that I have a great future ahead of me. I’m going to continue to make history and break records one fight at a time, starting with David Haye this spring,” said Ruiz, 38, who became the first Hispanic heavyweight titleholder when he defeated Evander Holyfield (42-10-2, 27 KOs) by unanimous decision to capture the WBA crown in March 2001.
“I know Golden Boy will help get me back to the top of the heavyweight division and secure my place in the boxing history books.”
The founder of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya, lauded Ruiz’s abilities in the ring.
“John Ruiz is a very skilled and talented heavyweight and we are very excited to add him to our elite stable of fighters,” said De La Hoya, a retired pugilist who won a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
“He has proven time and again that he has what it takes to battle with the top guys in the division and will continue to do so in 2010 and beyond.”
Ruiz is known, particularly in the Boston area, as a kind and respectable man.
Nevertheless, he is a dreary pugilist whose grappling and clinching tactics make his fights mind-numbing for spectators to watch.
Roger “Pit” Perron from Brockton is a longtime boxing trainer who now works with Mike and Rich Cappiello at their gym, Cappiello Brothers Boxing and Training.
Perron has known Ruiz for over 20 years and he succinctly described the former titlist’s boxing style as “boring, boring, boring.”
“Ruiz will grab and hold all night and cry when he doesn’t get the decision,” said Perron, 73.
Furthermore, Ruiz is not a spring chicken at 38 and it is comical for De Lay Hoya to claim that “The Quiet Man” will make noise in the heavyweight division “in 2010 and beyond.”
In actuality, Golden Boy inked Ruiz because now their promotion can’t lose when he encounters Haye in a few months.
“That certainly didn’t hurt,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer admitted.
“I’d be lying if I would say something different. But, I discussed this with Adam Booth, David Haye’s manager and trainer. I informed him that before we signed Ruiz and he was OK with it. Numerous promoters were after Ruiz after it became known he was no longer under contract with Don King. Frank Warren from England pursued him. If Hayemaker (Haye’s company) and Golden Boy were doing the Ruiz fight together it made sense for us to also work with Ruiz.”
Perron said he expects that Haye, who is also a past cruiserweight champ, will emerge victorious over Ruiz.
“If Ruiz doesn’t get stopped in the late-rounds, he’ll lose the decision,” said Perron.
Haye is a skilled and brash Englishman who has brought a much-needed buzz with him into boxing’s heavyweight division.
At 29, Haye is a legitimate prizefighter and he will be a presence in the sport “in 2010 and beyond.”
As previously noted, John Ruiz is a good human being.
Unfortunately, Ruiz is not a great boxer and “2010 and beyond” will ultimately prove to be noiseless for “The Quiet Man.”
*Cappiello Brothers Boxing gym is located on 162 Main Street in Brockton, Massachusetts (02301).
508-583-4303
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Keywords: boxing, david haye, evander holyfield, john ruiz, oscar de la hoya
