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Ruiz has got to be one of the worst fighters I've ever seen. So fucking boring. Here's his strategy: Throw a punch, clinch, throw a punch, clinch, etc. Good riddance!
edit: i'm sure he'll be back though. retirements in boxing are like superheroes deaths.
Toney takes Ruiz' crown; Ruiz announces retirement
By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
NEW YORK -- James Toney, weighing 76 pounds more than when he won the middleweight title in 1991, became just the third former 160-pound champ to win a heavyweight title, winning a unanimous decision against John Ruiz on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Shortly afterward, two-time belt holder Ruiz said in his dressing room he was announcing his retirement.
If this was indeed Ruiz's last fight, it was a lackluster affair. But it wasn't just the ponderous Ruiz's fault. Toney didn't do all that much either, but the judges liked his work better, scoring it 116-111 and 115-112 (twice). ESPN.com scored it 115-113 for Ruiz.
Toney (69-4-2) joined Bob Fitzsimmons (1897) and Roy Jones Jr. (2003) as former middleweight champs to become heavyweight title holders -- and the second to do it against Ruiz, who lost his belt the first time to Jones.
James Toney/John Ruiz
Ruiz (right) had trouble following up his connections on Toney.
"I want (heavyweight titlist Vitali) Klitschko," said Toney, who weighed 233 pounds compared to 157 when he beat Michael Nunn for the middleweight title. "I will fight anyone, anywhere at any time. I don't duck anyone."
Although Ruiz's shots appeared heavier, Toney was busier. Still, Ruiz (41-6-1) felt he did enough to retain his belt.
"He's a tough guy to fight. He moved around a lot," Ruiz, 33, said. "But I connected a lot. I finished stronger, and I felt I won the fight."
Toney -- a former champ at middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight -- landed 195 of 435 blows (45 percent) while Ruiz connected on 139 of 563 shots (25 percent), according to CompuBox statistics.
"I only had four-and-a-half weeks to prepare for this fight, but I do what I do," Toney, 36, said, noting that the fight was made quickly after an injury to Klitschko left the date open. "I didn't expect much from John because he's an average fighter. John Ruiz is stupid. He can't change his style. He only knows how to fight one way [but] I take my hat off to him for giving me the opportunity."
It was only Toney's third bout at heavyweight -- he previously had stopped Evander Holyfield and decisioned Rydell Booker. But his shot at the title was delayed because of two serious injuries.
He ruptured an Achilles' tendon in early 2004 while preparing to fight Jameel McCline. Then, in his comeback fight against Booker last September, he tore his left biceps and needed surgery, causing another long layoff.
Although rumors persisted during the buildup to the fight that he was still having trouble with his left arm, it didn't appear to be an issue during the fight. But neither man was throwing a whole lot of punches anyway.
Ruiz tried to clinch at every opportunity and Toney let him do it often. Most of the fight was spent with both men at close range throwing sporadic shots.
In the seventh round, Toney got credit for a knockdown but referee Steve Smoger clearly missed the call. Replays showed that although Toney threw a punch, it barely touched Ruiz. Ruiz went down because Toney stepped on Ruiz's right foot and as he went off balance, Toney shoved him down with his forearm. All three judges gave the round to Toney, 10-8.
The 10th round was probably the best of the fight. Toney showed a burst of energy in the opening moments while Ruiz appeared to wilt. Toney connected with a right hand and followed with a body attack as Ruiz looked to get out of the way.
Ruiz responded with a left hook that caught Toney clean and made him lose his balance momentarily, but he failed to follow up.
However, for the final 30 seconds of the round, they brawled in the center of the ring, trading head shots until the bell.
Toney had a big 11th round as he landed right hands throughout the round, and Ruiz's bloody nose got worse.
Although the fight appeared close going to the 12th round, neither man came out with much fire. And it ended like it started -- with them in a clinch.
Ruiz, who has never been a big attraction, probably will have a tough time getting back into the title picture. Few will want to fight him and the TV networks have never liked him much.
But Toney, despite his age and poor conditioning, is practically a fresh face for a division in dire need of a spark.
Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.
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