Farewell to John Ruiz

Over the past weekend the heavyweight "champion" everyone loves to hate, John Ruiz, had been dethroned yet once again. This time it is courtesy of a "Russian Giant", one Nicolai Valuev.

From the news reports it was a close fight and it has been erroneously reported that the German fans booed the decision. Evidently they were booing because the fight was so bad (hey, you're watching John Ruiz, what did you dumbass Krauts expect?)

A few thoughts on John Ruiz. There has never been a fighter people wanted to see less of than John Ruiz. If Arturo Gatti is the poster boy for heart and courage John Ruiz is the poster boy for the amnesiac. Yet because of his connection to Don King he was foisted on the viewing public time after time. He had a forgettable trilogy against a faded Evander Holyfield, got shut out by Roy Jones, thoroughly outboxed by James Toney yet he has come back time after time. His nickname is the "Quiet Man" yet I think he should be re-named "The Cockaroach". He is like the cockaroach you stomp on with both feet. You think its dead but then it gets up and scurries away waiting for the right time to reappear. That's John Ruiz.

His trainer is another story. I found Norman Stone to be entertaining. He became the only reason to tune into Ruiz's fights. His most memorable moment came when referee Randy Neumann ordered him to re-tape Ruiz's glove. Stone already incensed by what he believed to be Neumann's favoritism toward Ruiz' opponent Andrew Golota, calls the referee a "fuckin' jerk off". He is then promptly kicked out of the ring (I've never heard of a trainer being banished before, it was something out of pro wrestling). A few minutes later the cameras are on Stone in the dressing room and he states "I didn't say nuttin' to that guy..." Hilarious stuff.

On to Valuev. Arguably a fresh face is needed in the division but it could do without this 21st century Primo Carnera. Valuev is the physically weakest 7-feet, 330 pound giant I've ever seen. He's physically imposing but is slow as all hell and has the punching power of a light hitting welterweight. He may even be more boring than Ruiz. Don King plans on bringing him to America. There are no legitimate heavyweight titlists that can capture the public's imagination with their skill or charisma, so King has to go the route of selling a circus freak.

There wasn't so much a changing of the guard Saturday night as much as it was one turd on a silver platter being exchanged for a bigger turd on a gold plate.