John ruiz boxer biography

John Ruiz (ur. 4 stycznia1972 w Methuen) – amerykańskibokser pochodzenia portorykańskiego, były dwukrotny zawodowy mistrz świata organizacji WBA w kategorii ciężkiej.

Kariera amatorska

Jako amator startował na mistrzostwach świata w Sydney (1991), gdzie dotarł do ćwierćfinału kategorii półciężkiej, pokonując kolejno Mohameda Benguesmię i Miodraga Radulovicia. W ćwierćfinale przegrał z reprezentantem ZSRRAndriejem Kurniawką. Nie zdołał zakwalifikować się do ekipy olimpijskiej rok później i zdecydował się na rozpoczęcie kariery zawodowej.

Kariera zawodowa

Początki

Pierwszy zawodowy pojedynek stoczył w sierpniu 1992 roku. 15 marca 1996 roku, w swojej dwudziestej ósmej walce, doznał błyskawicznej porażki w pojedynku z Davidem Tua. Bokser z Samoa znokautował go już w dziewiętnastej sekundzie pierwszej rundy.

Następnie do końca 1999 roku stoczył jedenaście zwycięskich pojedynków. Wygrał m.in. z byłym mistrzem świata IBF, Tonym Tuckerem (techniczny nokaut w jedenastej rundzie).

Pierwszy tytuł mistrza świata WBA

W 2000 roku Ruiz został oficjalnym pretendentem WBA, jednak ówczesny mistrz świata WBA, Lennox Lewis odmówił walki z nim, ponieważ wolał zmierzyć się z silniejszym jego zdaniem pięściarzem, Michaelem Grantem. W konsekwencji WBA odebrała Brytyjczykowi tytuł, a o pas mistrzowski mieli się zmierzyć właśnie Ruiz i Evander Holyfield. 20 sierpnia 2000 roku doszło do pierwszego z trzech kolejnych pojedynków Ruiza z Holyfieldem. Ruiz przegrał na punkty po jednogłośnej decyzji sędziów. Z powodu dużych kontrowersji odnośnie do wyniku pierwszej walki, WBA nakazała obu pięściarzom zmierzyć się w pojedynku rewanżowym. Doszło do niego 3 marca 2001 roku. Tym razem lepszy okazał się Ruiz, wygrywając z rywalem na punkty. Odebrał tym samym Holyfieldowi pas mistrzowski. Jako pierwszy w historii mistrz świata w wadze ciężkiej pochodzenia lat

American boxer

For the Costa Rican footballer, see John Jairo Ruiz.

John Ruiz (born January 4, 1972) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2010, and held the WBAheavyweight title twice between 2001 and 2005. Ruiz is of Puerto Rican descent, and is the first Latino boxer to win a world heavyweight title.

Amateur career

• 1991: Competed as a light heavyweight at the World Championships in Sydney, Australia. Results were:
• 1992: Competed at the Olympic Trials in Worcester. Result was:

Professional career

First reign as WBA heavyweight champion

After Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield for the undisputed (WBA, WBC, and IBF) heavyweight title in late 1999, the WBA ordered Lewis to defend the title against mandatory challenger Ruiz, but Lewis refused. Though he had been undefeated since his 1st round 19 second 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.

Ruiz vs. Holyfield

Main articles: Evander Holyfield vs. John Ruiz, Evander Holyfield vs. John Ruiz II, and John Ruiz vs. Evander Holyfield III

Ruiz fought former champion Holyfield to fill the vacancy on August 12, 2000, losing by unanimous decision (this result made Holyfield the first to win a world heavyweight title on four occasions). Many observers and boxing reporters felt that the underdog Ruiz had done enough to win.

Due

John Ruiz was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S. on January 4, 1972. He made his professional debut at the age of 20 years on August 20, 1992 against Kevin Parker. Ruiz defeated Parker via 4-round unanimous decision, making a successful beginning of his pro career.

Ruiz got his first shot at a world title at the age of 28 after 39 professional fights. On August 12, 2000 Ruiz challenged Evander Holyfield's WBA heavyweight title but lost via 12-round unanimous decision.

In his next fight, he got another shot at the heavyweight WBA (vacant) title. This time he defeated Holyfield via 12-round unanimous decision, winning his first world title.

Ruiz' last fight was a 9th-round TKO loss to David Haye at age 38, on April 3, 2010, in which he was fighting for the WBA heavyweight title.

Some of John Ruiz' best fights have been against Evander Holyfield (HOFer), Kirk Johnson, Tony Tucker, Andrew Golota, Hasim Rahman, Jameel McCline, and Julius Francis. For a complete list of Ruiz' best fights and their details, refer to "Best fights of John Ruiz".

Ruiz has 9 losses on his record. For details about these losses refer to "John Ruiz Losses".

John Ruiz is one of the most renowned Boxers, born on 4 January 1972 in the United States. He is the first Latino Heavyweight Champion and twice WBA Heavyweight Champion. John Ruiz’s zodiac sign is Capricorn.

John Ruiz is an American former professional boxer of Puerto Rican descent from 1992-2010. He held the WBA heavyweight title twice between 2001 and 2005 and was the first Latino boxer to win a world heavyweight title.

After Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in the heavyweight title at the end of 1999, the WBA ordered Lewis to defend the title against Ruiz, but Lewis refused. Though he had been undefeated since a loss against David Tua in 1996, the only name he had beaten till now was a nearly 40-year-old Tony Tucker.

John Ruiz is among the richest Boxers and also the most popular. According to data, John Ruiz’s net worth is approximately $1.5 million.

According to records, John Ruiz married Maribelle Ruiz. Till now, there is no record of John Ruiz dating anyone. There are no records of past relationships with John Ruiz. 

Father:         Not Known

Mother:       Not Known

Siblings:      Not Known

Spouse:       Maribelle Ruiz

Children(s): Not Known

On 17 April 2004, Ruiz fought the first defense of his second world title. He contained it with an eleventh-round technical knockout of Fres Oquendo at Madison Square Garden, US. It was the first time two Hispanics/Latinos faced each other for a world heavyweight title. 

Division Heavy

Status           Inactive

Bouts            55

Rounds 331

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