JOHN "THE QUIETMAN" RUIZ

PUBLICITY TOUR A KNOCKOUT

Photos By: Javier Quiroz/La Raza Newspaper/GBP
Last week (Jan. 27-31), 2-time WBA heavyweight champion John "The Quietman" Ruiz went on a publicity tour to promote his WBA title fight against champion David Haye on April 3 in Manchester, England. The tour focused on major Latino media outlets during stops in Chicago, New York City and Miami. John is back in Las vegas, where he has already started training camp.

"It was a very successful tour," Ruiz said. "We stopped in a lot of places in all three cities - newspapers, radio and TV -- and positive stories hit everywhere we went. We made the right move signing with Golden Boy Promotions. They did what they said they would do for me in the Latino market. Now, though, I'm getting into heavy training for this fight." (More)

John Ruiz Swings By Southie in Preparation for April Bout With David Haye in England

Two-time WBA Heavyweight champion and Massachusetts native John Ruiz is getting another title shot.
Ruiz will be taking on current WBA Heavyweight champion David Haye on April 3rd in Manchester, England. It was Haye who defeated Nikolay Valuev for the WBA strap back in November after Ruiz (the No. 1 contender) agreed to step aside and fight the winner.

"The Quiet Man" stopped by the South Boston Boxing Gym for a quick workout, but as I soon found out, he's not all that quiet once you get him going. And unlike some people, he has not lost faith in the Patriots, as we dished on everything from his upcoming fight to his first car. (More)

Haye to meet Ruiz in
Manchester in April

MANCHESTER, England (AP)—David Haye will make the first defense of the WBA world heavyweight against John Ruiz in Manchester on April 3.
The 29-year-old British fighter, also a former world cruiserweight champion, won the heavyweight crown from Russia’s Nikolai Valuev in November in Germany.
Haye will now face Ruiz, the WBA’s No. 1
contender and former champion, at Manchester’s MEN Arena.
The 38-year-old American fighter didn’t show up at Tuesday’s news conference to announce the fight. (More)

RUIZ ON PUBLICITY TOUR

Two-time world heavyweight champion John "The Quietman" Ruiz is on a publicity tour this week in Chicago, New York Coty and Miami to promote his April 3 WBA title fight against champion David Haye in Manchester, England.

I Love Going Home

My 10-day trip back home was great. It was great to see so many members of my family, as well as dear friends and loyal fans.

Tuesday night, I was an invited part of “Muscle Team 2010,” which participated in an MDA fundraiser at the Fairmont Hotel. I want to thank the MDA for inviting me. My wife, Maribel, and I had a wonderful time and I had a terrific “buddy,” David Corley. He will be in my corner for life. Thanks to his parents, too. I also want to send my appreciation to the staff at the Copley Square Hotel for third first-class treatment. I highly recommend staying there when visiting Boston.

The following day I had an open workout at the South Boston Boxing Club. I want to send a shout out to them for letting me train there. Special thanks to media people like Ron Borges, Omar Cabera, Andrea Ferrara and Joe Roche for taking time out of their busy schedules to be there.

I hadn’t been to The Roxy for years but I had a good time
there Friday night watching pro boxing. The fans were amazing and I’m grateful for all of their kind words. Promoter Jimmy Burchfield (Classic Entertainment & Sports) is a longtime friend. He and his CES staff were gracious hosts. And I got a chance to be with fighters I’ve always respected and like, especially Vinny Paz and Micky Ward.

I guess that old saying is true, “There’s No Place Like Home.”

This week I’m on a publicity
tour in Chicago, New York City and Miami for my 12th world title fight, April 3 in England against WBA heavyweight champion David Haye. I’m going to bring my title belt back home where it belong – to the United States to share with all of you great fans. (Read more blogs)

"The Quietman Returns to Boston

John "The Quietman" Ruiz returned to Boston this week for a media work at the South Boston Boxing Gym. Ruiz will be heading into training camp for his upcoming fight with David Haye.

Plenty of fight in John Ruiz
At 38, boxer is still swinging for fences

John Ruiz sat on the edge of the ring at the South Boston Boxing Club yesterday and smiled ruefully. Then he laughed. Why wouldn’t he consider the long struggle boxing has been?

Sometime in early April, Ruiz will fight for the heavyweight championship for the 13th time when he takes on World Boxing Association champ David Haye. That’s more times than Rocky Marciano fought for the title. More times than Jack Dempsey or Riddick Bowe or a whole lot of other champions like Ezzard Charles and Jersey Joe Walcott did.

Remarkable, really, that a kid from Chelsea can say that after starting boxing because his stepfather loved the sport so much. He took him to the Somerville Boxing Club to live out a dream through his boy.

“If my mother didn’t split up with my dad I’m probably playing baseball,” Ruiz said. “My dad’s thing was baseball. My stepdad’s thing was boxing. That was his love.”

Eventually it became Ruiz’ passion, too, and it has led him on a long odyssey few people thought would take him to 13 title fights (5-5-1 with a no contest so far), the claim of the first Latino heavyweight king in history, two tours as WBA champion and earnings of many millions of dollars.

Looking back on it, Ruiz admitted, “Who knew?” (More)

GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER TWO – TIME HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION JOHN RUIZ

THE FIRST HISPANIC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION LOOKS FOR ANOTHER WORLD TITLE SHOT WITH GOLDEN BOY IN 2010

LOS ANGELES, January 12 – As the first and only Hispanic Heavyweight World Champion paves his way through the boxing history books, John Ruiz, has joined forces with Golden Boy Promotions to help guide his path. The Puerto Rican descendant has accomplished a lot throughout his career, including appearances in 11 world title bouts in the last decade, but Ruiz has plenty more in store and believes 2010 will be his year.

“I’m excited to become a member of the Golden Boy Promotions family and know that I have a great future ahead of me,” said Ruiz. “I’m going to continue to make history and break records one fight at a time, starting with David Haye this spring. I know Golden Boy will help get me back to the top of the heavyweight division and to secure my place in the boxing history books.”

“John Ruiz is a very skilled and talented heavyweight and we are very excited to add him to our elite stable of fighters,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “He has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to battle with the top guys in the division and will continue to do so in 2010 and beyond.” (More)

McCline talks-up Ruiz

In a story written by James Slater for www.eastsideboxing.com, 4-time world title challenger Jameel McCline praised John Ruiz:

J.S: You mentioned Ruiz, who is next for David Haye. How do you rate Ruiz' chances against Haye?

J.M: Let me tell you. John Ruiz is one of the most underrated fighters there is - I'd say THE most underrated heavyweight of the last ten years. Let me tell you why: he is incredibly good at making you fight his fight, and then at winning it. Also, he's so tough to stop - the David Tua KO was how long ago? sixteen years? That was The Night of The Young Heavyweights, and I fought on that card. I can't call the Haye-Ruiz fight, but as I say, he [Ruiz] is so underrated.

Sponsorship Opportunities

I'm very happy to say that sponsorship interest in Team Ruiz for my WBA heavyweight title fight against David Haye next year has really picked up. We've been contacted by a growing number of people representing companies that want to get involved. Anybody interested in discussing sponsorship opportunities may email bobtfcp@hotmail.com. Keep visiting my web site to findout when and where Haye-Ruiz will happen. 2010 will be the Year of the Quietman!

Response to writer Ron Borges by John Ruiz' manager/legal advisor, Tony Cardinale

Ron:

I read your article, we are somewhat on the same page, but your facts about King's efforts on John's behalf, biting his hand, etc., were, from my obviously biased point of view, a bit off.

King has done nothing whatsoever to keep John in contention since he jumped on the Valuev bandwagon in the fall of 2005. Since that time every shot John has had was the result of work we did, with DKP working against us, from Chagaev on. Things may have been different if he did not join Valuev's opposition to our appeal to the WBA following their 2d bout. We may have stayed put.

Actually, every position John has kept within the WBA ratings since his loss to Jones were because we insisted that the WBA follow its rules, For example King was actively trying to put another of his boxers in John's spot following the Jones loss. I could go on and on in this vein, as you might imagine. Bottom line, King did not keep John in position, we did. (More)

Listen to Ruiz on 8countnews.com

John Ruiz celebrates win and waits for David Haye title fight

After knocking out Adnan Serin in Germany (Nov. 7), 2-time World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John "The Quietman" Ruiz returned home to Las Vegas, where he's shown in this photo celebrating in his game room smoking one of his favorite cigars, Padron Serie 1926 80th Anniversary. Ruiz, the first and only world heavyweight champion of Latino heritage, has a mandated WBA title fight against new champ David Haye next year. It will mark Ruiz' 12th world title fight.

November 17, 2009

Dear John,

I hope you and your
family are all doing well. I’ve been meaning to send you signed gloves. I appreciate all your help with my Championship belts. These gloves were used for the training camp for my Ruiz vs Serin fight in Germany on November 7, 2009. I won in the 7th round by TKO. I will now be facing Hayes next year for a Championship fight. It’s nice to see when I pass my game room that I can see my original WBA Championship belts on display. I could never repay you. I hope you accept these signed gloves as a small gesture of my gratitude. Next time I’m in town we’ll have to get together and catch up.

Thank You, John Ruiz

What They’re Saying about “The Quietman”…..

“Ruiz is a good fighter, very under-rated. He’s not the most entertaining of former champions but he’s won championships on several occasions and you don’t do that through being a bad fighter.

“He’s not brilliant at any one thing but he’s
good at everything. He’s a lot better than people think,. Because of his awkward style people look at him not as a threat but as an annoyance, but he won the heavyweight championship twice so he must be doing something right….The toughest fight of my life will be John Ruiz.”

David Haye, WBA Heavyweight Champion

“However, I have my doubts that Haye will ever get a shot at the Klitschko brothers, because I see him losing to Ruiz next year. Haye won’t be able to pot shotting him 10 shots per rounds, because Ruiz is capable of landing a lot more than 10 punches per round. He also isn’t afraid to mix it up and take a shot. Ruiz likes to stay close where he will be able to neutralize Haye’s power and take advantage of his own by clobbering Haye with uppercuts.
Many people still se Ruiz as a punch and clinch fighter. He’s changed his style a lot in the past couple of years and is now much more of a puncher than he used to be…..he is much more entertaining than he used to be.
“Ruiz is very effective at getting his shots off before he’s hit. His jab is excellent and we saw how vulnerable Haye was at getting hit with jabs in his fights against Monte Barrett and Valuev. Haye may run a lot and stay outside but he’s no good at avoiding the jab. This is why I see Ruiz and, of course, the Klitschko brothers, beating Haye.
“I think Haye needs to forget about the huge money that he’ll make against the Klitschko brothers and focus more on the Ruiz fight. I think Haye is hugely under estimating Ruiz an seeing him as a Valuev or Maccarinelli type opponent instead of a live threat that could beat him.”

Ron Borges, Boston Herald

“I really see Haye as a one hit wonder and I’m not talking about his power. I mean I see him lasting as a champion about one fight. Haye faces John Ruiz next in 2010, and I think Ruiz will beat him by knockout….I don’t think Haye’s weak chin would be able to take Ruiz’s hard uppercuts and I see Haye lasting six or seven rounds before being taken out by the former champion Ruiz….I see him losing badly to Ruiz.” (More)

Chris Arreola is the latest over-hyped American heavyweight to fall short of all the hype provided by the networks and bought into by that the media and fans alike.

Arreola is a knockout artist with a
great story, trying to become the first world heavyweight champion of Mexican decent, and the second Latino to be the world heavyweight title holder.

It was a tremendous thrill for me to become the first - and still the only -- world heavyweight champion of Latino decent. I’m honored to be the first because I’m so proud of my Puerto Rican-American heritage.

It’s too bad Arreola was pushed so fast. He wasn’t ready, nor did he do anything deserving to be in a title fight against Vitali Klitschko. You have to get inside to beat Klitschko and Chris never got close. Unfortunately, he was nothing more than a punching bag on national television. (More)

WATCH RUIZ ON CNN
Pionero: John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz
When heavyweight boxer John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz defeated defending champ Evander Holyfield in 2001, he became the first Hispanic to hold the WBA title. CNN’s Don Lemon spoke with Ruiz about what it means to be a Latino pioneer. (Watch video)

On the road towards my dream of becoming world heavyweight champion, I’m looking in the rearview mirror, seeing the loss of contact I’ve had with some friends and family.

I look to my right and left, but the windows are darkened. My hand-picked team has controlled me, isolating me from family and friends who were trying to reach out to me.

Now, though, I’m able to see much more clearly because my mother, Gladys, brothers – Eddie and Robert -- and sister, Jackie, became involved in my boxing career and covered my back. I’m so thankful that they stuck with me despite others trying to push them away. They woke me up. I was in sleep mode, focusing on just winning the title, but my family opened my eyes to what was going on. They all warned me about what they had heard and seen; how I had been manipulated by others who were supposed to be looking out for my best interests.

I’m able to see past the blocked view, no longer controlled by outside sources that pushed away everyone close to me. Today, I am my own person, happy with my life. (More)