Known as ‘The Quiet Man’, John Ruiz is a former two-time WBA heavyweight champion of the world and a man considered one of the toughest and most awkward campaigners in the heavyweight division. Stopped only once in a 53-bout professional career, Ruiz has survived at the top for over a decade, thanks to his survival instincts, world-class chin and no lack of ability.
A professional since August 1992, Ruiz originally started his career as a promising light-heavyweight. Competing predominantly in his home state of Massachusetts, Ruiz won 15 straight fights in merely the first year of his pro career.
As Ruiz began to settle into the heavyweight division, an increase in the level of competition followed. Ruiz battled two fellow heavyweight prospects - Sergei Kobozev and Danell Nicholson – and wound up on the receiving end of narrow and controversial points defeats.
Ruiz would also go on the road during the 1990s, even appearing in England on numerous occasions. He defeated Julius Francis, Michael Murray and Derrick Roddy during trips to the United Kingdom, and would go on to appear on these shores a total of six times in the mid-90s.
A stunning March 1996 knockout defeat to New Zealand puncher David Tua remains the only stoppage loss on Ruiz’ career record. Blitzed in the opening round by the sledgehammer-fisted ‘Tuaman’, Ruiz vowed to never again trade with a puncher and to use his defensive skills en route to a more considered climb up the heavyweight ladder.
With plenty of work to do, Ruiz started to show signs of the hard-nosed, blue-collar work ethic he’d later become renowned for. Still content to ply his trade on the American circuit, Ruiz rebounded from the Tua loss with commendable wins over fringe contenders Jimmy Thunder, Tony Tucker, Mario Cawley and Fernely Feliz. Post-Tua, 10 of Ruiz’ 11 beaten victims were halted inside schedule.
‘The Quiet Man’s first taste of the mainstream – and his first chance to make a noise at an elite level – arrived in August 2000, when he met Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield for the vacant WBA world heavyweight title. It would be the first of three back-to-back fights between the pair and yet, even at the conclusion of 36 rounds, the better man was still undecided. Holyfield walked away with a decision victory in the first bout, Ruiz switched the result in his favour in part two and the third contest was judged a draw. With one win apiece and one even, Ruiz and Holyfield shrugged shoulders and parted ways in 2002.
Having won the WBA title in his second stab at Holyfield, Massachusetts hero Ruiz proudly became the first ever world heavyweight champion of Hispanic heritage.
The new champion’s first non-Holyfield title defence came in July 2002, when he faced hot-streaking Canadian star Kirk Johnson. Considered an underdog going in, Ruiz managed to frustrate and rough up his touted opponent, eventually doing enough to win via disqualification in the 10th round.
With one of his career-best wins behind him, Ruiz then became a part of history upon accepting a mega-showdown with multi-weight great Roy Jones, Jr. The former middleweight, super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion aspired to grab a portion of the heavyweight title and pinpointed Ruiz and his WBA title as the entry point.
Ruiz enjoyed a 35-pound weight advantage over Jones in March 2003, yet could never pin down the fleet-footed and quick-fisted Pensacola legend. Befuddled and bemused, Ruiz was beaten to a decision over 12 rounds by a buoyant and peak Jones. Jones nabbed Ruiz’ belt and became the first fighter since Bob Fitzsimmons to move from middleweight to heavyweight and win a world title.
Pride battered and belt gone, Ruiz licked his wounds and prepared himself for another shot at his old belt in December 2003. With Jones embarking on an ill-fated trip back down the weight divisions, the WBA title he won from Ruiz once again became vacant. Ruiz and another former champion, Hasim ‘The Rock’ Rahman, contested the interim belt and Ruiz, clearly the more motivated of the two, did enough to snatch the title in a drab affair.
Once again champion, Ruiz grew stronger with the belt around his waist and achieved notable title wins against Andrew Golota and Fres Oquendo. Blessed with a knack of ‘gutting out’ ugly wins, Ruiz started to forge a reputation as someone who would simply want it more than his opponents. When all was even, Ruiz tended to get the result.
However, as was the case with Jones two years earlier, Ruiz again met a former middleweight champion in April 2005. This time the ‘little man’ in question was James ‘Lights Out’ Toney, a boxer renowned for his trash-talking and incredible defensive skills. As with Jones before, Ruiz struggled to get to grips with Toney’s slick and clever style and was a static target for the Michigan man’s counter-right cross. Following 12 rounds of desperate chasing, Ruiz lost a decision and his belt in the process.
Ruiz’ reprieve arrived a few days after the bout as boxing fans around the world learned that Toney had tested positive for a banned substance (stanozolol, an anabolic steroid) in the post-fight drugs test. The bout was swiftly changed to a No-Contest and Ruiz found himself once again in possession of the title he thought he’d lost. Ruiz was still champion.
Controversy was often never far from Ruiz during his multiple WBA title reigns, and this trend continued in December 2005, as ‘The Quiet Man’ kicked up a fuss upon finally losing his belt to Russian giant Nikolai Valuev. In a close and scrappy affair, Ruiz found himself on the receiving end of a razor-thin majority decision loss. His title remained in Germany.
Again without a title, but determined to right the wrongs in Germany, Ruiz met unbeaten southpaw Ruslan Chagaev in November 2006. Billed as a WBA world heavyweight title eliminator, Ruiz suffered his second consecutive decision loss – this time via split-decision after 12 rounds.
With back-to-back losses in Germany behind him, Ruiz – still a considerable name in the heavyweight pack – looked to slot into position once more. He defeated Otis Tisdale via knockout and then beat perennial contender Jameel McCline over 12 rounds in March 2008. Although the McCline bout was tagged a WBC title eliminator, Ruiz’ only interest was in his old WBA belt.
‘The Quiet Man’s night of title redemption came in August 2008 as he once again trekked to Germany to face ‘The Beast From The East’ Valuev. In perhaps an even closer encounter than their first, Ruiz was again snubbed on the scorecards after 12 rounds. The home favourite Valuev was awarded a split-decision at the bout’s conclusion.
Since that night in Berlin, Ruiz has changed his team, altered his methods and prepared himself for one final run at the heavyweight championship of the world. He stopped Adnan Serin last November in Nuremberg, Germany, and appeared trimmer and slicker than in previous contests.
With a new regime behind him, Ruiz knows that, at 38 years of age, this is his final roll of the heavyweight dice. In a career full of ups, downs and numerous controversies, bet against ‘The Quiet Man’ at your peril. Involved in the WBA title picture for over a decade now, John Ruiz is rarely seen without the belt around his waist.