Will Middleweight Lightning Strike Ruiz Twice?
by
Garth Weaver
4/26 - Well folks, here we are, just a week away from the eagerly anticipated match between WBA heavyweight champ John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz and former IBF middleweight, super-middleweight, and cruiserweight champ James “Lights Out” Toney at Madison Square Garden on April 30th.
This bout is going to be Toney’s third bout at heavyweight, having stopped the legendary Evander Holyfield in the ninth round in October of 2003, and earning a unanimous decision against previously undefeated Rydell Booker in September of 2004.
With one more WBA title defense than Toney has heavyweight fights, Ruiz last loss was to former middleweight champion Roy Jones Jr. in March of 2003. What makes this fight so intriguing is that there is one big question on every fight fans mind: Will middleweight lightning strike John Ruiz twice?
Ruiz, 41-5-1, has been in the mix as champ for almost five years, and is coming off of a big, but highly controversial win
over oft title challenger Andrew Golota. Ruiz’ tactics for winning fights have been effective for the most part during his
title reign, but they have won him plenty of critics.
The typical exchange starts with a jab, and then tie up and work them from the inside. Repeat for twelve rounds or until the
fight is stopped. This usually makes for the opposite of all action fights, but don't expect Ruiz pattern to change, as he
can be knocked down. [see Golota, and his brutal 19 second KO loss to David Tua]
To start this Saturday night on HBO, Ruiz will come out, jab, clinch and try to set up his sneaky, but powerful right hand.
Ruiz has never been the type of fighter to stand and trade, so I would not expect him to change up his style at this stage of
his career, especially against an excellent in-fighter like James Toney.
Toney, 68-4-2, has been a world champion in three divisions, and has not been beaten since 1997 when he dropped a majority
decision to Drake Thadzi. Toney has made a name for himself with his overwhelming pressure and constant action that he
presses when he fights. Anyone who saw him fight Vassilly Jirov and Evander Holyfield knows exactly what I am writing about.
James, like Ruiz, has had his share of critics as well, being accused of having a lack of focus from time to time nnd losing
fights that people thought that he would win. I seriously doubt that will be the case on the 30th.
James is a very crafty in-fighter, and loves to pressure and break down his opponents. Expect nothing different.
This Saturday, will these two fighters with opposite styles collide and on paper, it looks like Toney has a tailor made
opponent in John Ruiz. Toney is the faster of the two, the better boxer, and is very good at getting in, hammering the body,
and then either going to the head to finish or gett out and going back to the jab.
There are only a few questions that hang over Toney, and those questions are about his conditioning, how will he take a big
punch from a big heavyweight, and is the power to knock big guys there? The matter of his conditioning will be answered at
the weigh-in for the fight, the other pair of questions will be answered the next day at Madison Square Garden.
The only question for the champ, is will he show up to fight, or will clinch? As I said earlier, I do not expect Ruiz to
change his style that has won him 41 fights and a long reign as a champion.
Here is how the fight goes down. Toney comes out sharp, and working Ruiz’ body from outside, then following up to his head,
and getting out of there. Toney is not as fast as Roy Jones, but he is faster than Ruiz' last handful of opponents: Golota,
Fres Oquendo, and Hasom Rahman, who were all lulled into a typical Ruiz fight.
If Ruiz is able to tie Toney up, I think it will make matters worse for Ruiz, because Toney can fight very well from the
inside and at all angles. In my head, I see Toney getting tied up, breaking one arm loose, leaning back and smashing that
free arm across Ruiz’ face. As the fight wears on, Ruiz is going to realize that he is not going to be able to fight his
typical bout, but It wont change his game plan. Ruiz probably still will look to clinch and just hope that he gets Toney hurt
or knocks him out, although that knockout just doesn't take place.
This fight has the makings of a distance scrap that will go all 12, championship rounds, with Toney outboxing, and outworking
Ruiz on the way to winning a 12 round unanimous Decision. 'Middleweight Lightning' is going to strike Ruiz twice, and that on
April 30th, fans will see a newly crowned WBA Heavyweight champ.
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