John Ruiz
| John Ruiz | |
|---|---|
Ruiz with the WBA title at the White House, 2001
|
|
| Statistics | |
| Nickname(s) | The Quietman |
| Rated at | Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Reach | 78 in (198 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
January 4, 1972 Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 55 |
| Wins | 44 |
| Wins by KO | 30 |
| Losses | 9 |
| Draws | 1 |
| No contests | 1 |
John Ruiz (born January 4, 1972) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2010. He held the WBA heavyweight twice, from 2001 to 2005, and is the first Latino boxer to have won a heavyweight world title.
His professional record is 44–9–1–1, with 30 knockouts. Frustrated by years of criticism from the boxing press and fans, he retired upon his second loss of the WBA title on April 30, 2005 (to James "Lights-Out" Toney). Ruiz un-retired in 10 days, after finding out that James Toney had tested positive for anabolic steroids. The official outcome, a unanimous-decision defeat, was changed to a no-contest; the WBA ordered that Ruiz retain the title. Ruiz then filed a lawsuit against Toney, claiming that he had damaged Ruiz's boxing career (due to Toney's use of illegal steroids before their bout).
On December 17, 2005, he lost his title for the third time — in controversial fashion, — to Nikolai Valuev. Ruiz lost a rematch for the vacant WBA Heavyweight title with Valuev on August 30, 2008, once again in controversial fashion.
After Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield for the Undisputed (WBC + IBF + WBA) World heavyweight championship in late 1999, the WBA mysteriously ordered Lewis to defend the title against obscure Don King fighter Ruiz, their #1-ranked contender, but Lewis refused. Though he had been undefeated since a loss against David Tua in 1996, the level of competition Ruiz had been facing was suspect and the only name he had beaten (to date) was a nearly 40-year-old Tony Tucker.
Ruiz and his management sued, claiming that WBA rules entitled him to a title shot. A judge agreed, but rather than face Ruiz in a bout that was seen as commercially unattractive, Lewis instead fought Michael Grant, considered to be a very worthy contender at the time, having knocked out a series of recognized "name" opponents on HBO. After learning of this, the judge decreed that upon entering the ring against Grant on April 29, 2000, Lewis would automatically forfeit the WBA title.
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