A Masters fighter in training.

 He is 57 years young, at 5'4" and 143 lbs.

Because Valuev-Ruiz went to purse bid, Ruiz argued that according to the WBA’s Championship regulations there was a “net” purse rule in effect requiring any German taxes to be paid by the promoter, Sauerland Event, and could not be deducted from his purse. Last Friday, Team Ruiz was notified that the WBA had ruled in Ruiz’ favor, declaring that at the time of the Ruiz/Valuev bout its purse bid regulations intended and required that there could be no deductions from a foreign boxer’s purse by the winner of the purse bid. The WBA also announced that in the future, its purse bid regulations would operate on a “gross” basis, where the German tax on foreign boxers could be appropriately deducted by the winning promoter.

Nearly $250,000 was improperly withheld from Ruiz’ check for taxes and must be now be reimbursed to Ruiz by Sauerland.

“I’m happy because I haven’t won too many German decisions lately,” Ruiz said. “The WBA abided by its rules and stood up for fighters. If we hadn’t fought this Sauerland would have kept my money and now they have to return what they improperly withheld. I want to thank my advisor, Attorney Tony Cardinale, and Attorney Judd Burstein for fighting this cause and bringing home a victory.”

Final chapter hasn’t been written by “The Quietman” Ruiz

LAS VEGAS (March 6, 2009) – Two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz has one final chapter to live before his boxing career is finished: to capture another world title, defend his belt back home in Massachusetts, and fight for the first time in Puerto Rico.

The WBA Championship Committee recently declared No. 3 rated Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs) as its mandatory challenger for the winner of this year’s Nicolai Valuev-Ruslan Chagaev WBA title fight. Valuev is the reigning WBA heavyweight champion, Chagaev its “Champion in Recess.”

The ruling stems from a petition filed by Team Ruiz after last August’s WBA title fight, when John lost a 12-round “split decision” decision to Nicolai Valuev, in which, Team Ruiz claimed, based on a Russian TV footage, Valuev’s corner knew the scoring during the bout and before the official announcement of the result, which is a substantial violation of the WBA rules considered an unfair advantage. Also argued was that judge Takeshi Shimakawa improperly kept a running-score during the fight, explaining why he changed his final round scoring, five minutes after the fight had ended, from Ruiz to Valuev.

“I’m excited about the WBA making me the mandatory challenger and grateful to my manager, Tony Cardinale, and lawyer, attorney Judd Berstein, for fighting so hard on my behalf,” Ruiz said. “It’s been a long road, starting on the streets of Chelsea (Mass.), and fighting all over the world. My final chapter in boxing is coming and I hope it ends with another world title. I also want to show my appreciation to my fans in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. I was raised in the Boston area and I’d like to fight there again, hopefully in a world title fight. My brothers, sister and some distant cousins live there. But I’ve never fought in Puerto Rico, where a lot of my family lives -- my mother, uncles, aunts and a lot of first cousins. They’ve always supported me and I definitely would like to fight there before I retire.

“I only lived in Puerto Rico for a year, when I was five, but I do have some memories of San Grande, especially the stadium where my relatives played ball at, and later where I was honored before a capacity crowd after I won the world title for the first time. The 1 ½ ride from San Juan to San Grande took eight hours because of all the people on the streets showing their support for me. I want to give back to them and my fans in Massachusetts before I move on with the rest of my life.”

Ruiz lost controversial 12-round decisions in Germany to Valuev and Chagaev. In a pair of WBA title fights with Valuev, Ruiz lost by majority decision in 2005 and last year in the aforementioned calamity, as well as by split decision to Chagaev in their 2006 WBA title eliminator.

Open letter from John Ruiz to the
Top American Heavyweights

I’ve been told I’m not the most fan-friendly fighter in the world, my style often criticized as being ugly, but I’m proud to say I’ve never ducked a worthy opponent. For the past month or two, though, I’ve read and heard a lot BS about how I shouldn’t be the WBA mandatory title challenger. A few totally unproven, so-called contenders have whined about them deserving a world title shot more than I do.

Why? Who have Chris Arreola, Eddie Chambers, Kevin
Johnson or Brian Minto beaten to deserve a world title shot? Nobody! Just compare my list of victories to yours. You guys haven’t come close to doing what I’ve accomplished.

I’ve been where you’re trying to get – 11 world title fights (2 WBA titles) -- and I’m even willing to risk my WBA mandatory title shot next year against the Chagaev-Valuev II winner just to show everyone that I’m entitled to another world championship fight. Prove me wrong. Stop all of the smack talk, try and beat me in the ring. – the only place it really counts -- to be the real No. 1 American heavyweight. Next year, I’ll be fighting for the crown again unless one of you pretenders step-up and change my schedule.

Show the boxing world that you’re a true contender, not a pretender. You want it, come and get it – put your money where your mouth is. No more excuses, just contact my attorney Tony Cardinale (your promoters know how), and let’s make it happen.

John “The Quietman” Ruiz

Haye sat in a well-appointed restaurant at Mandalay Bay casino yesterday, his newly won WBA heavyweight title belt wrapped around his waist, and talked of Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko and which one he wants to fight first. He talked about all the things you talk about when you don’t know what you’re talking about.

By Ron Borges / Opinion Sunday, November 15, 2009 - Updated 2 years ago

Beaten: John Ruiz (right) lost to Nikolai Valuev

The Briton may have beaten Russian giant Nikolai Valuev to secure the WBA world
heavyweight title last weekend, but Ruiz was unimpressed.

Despite earning the nickname ‘the quiet man’ over the years, the mandatory challenger has been prodded into throwing a few early verbal shots by Haye’s infamously loud approach.

Ruiz, expected to fight for his third WBA belt at the O2 Arena in March or April, said: ‘Haye is a guy who is a talker and, from what I saw the other night, he is a runner, too.
‘I expect him to do all the talking, but in the ring I expect him to do all the running. He will be a tough opponent but he doesn’t worry me one bit. I have been in a lot of fights and some of them got pretty ugly. The words don’t bother me at all.’

Haye repeatedly insulted Valuev in the build-up to their bout in Germany before succeeding thanks to a narrow points verdict.

He has also left the impression that beating Ruiz will be a formality on the way to a more lucrative unification showdown with WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko.

But the Puerto Rican, 37, who was paid £120,000 to step aside and allow Haye to challenge Valuev, insists he will be a worthy opponent. ‘I am always proving people wrong,’ said Ruiz.

‘He can talk all he wants, make himself feel better or whatever he needs to do to be ready for this fight because he needs to be prepared.

‘The beauty of boxing is that you have to step into the ring sooner or later and see who is the best.

‘It is all about winning. You can talk all you want, but you have to prove what you have been saying.’

- By Leo Spall - Last updated at 8:24 PM on 14th November 2009