A stifling style has enabled the canny character to survive almost against top-class opposition, ten of whom have been world champions.
Ruiz is brazen about what he needs to implement in this fight, admitting from his training camp in Manchester that he plans to outpunch and outlast David Haye in Saturday's WBA heavyweight world title showdown at the MEN Arena.
Conventional wisdom would suggest that is his best option against Haye, who must look to stop Ruiz by the middle rounds, both for his own preservation, and to match his fistic statements with his criticisms of others in the slumbering division, notably the Klitschko brothers, who appear intent on winning 'bore' draws. Ruiz, who has a 44-8-1 record, but has lost three of his last six contests, has been placed as a long underdog, but that must be seen in relation to his experience as both a heavyweight, and at this level.
Haye, once the undisputed world cruiserweight champion, has had only three heavyweight contests.
Ruiz has also been on the wrong side of world title decisions against Ruslan Chagaev, Roy Jones Jr and Evander Holyfied, but is confident that his plan of bombarding Haye, who is 23-1, with more than 50 punches a round will pay off.
"That is the kind of pace I need to set,” Ruiz said.."If I don't set that kind of pace then I might as well pack my bags now and go home. That is my game plan, to fight him and stay on him and make sure that he is in for a long one here.”
"I'm American. They consider me the last hope, I guess. The last hope to bring a title back home. I am going to rise to that challenge. I love a challenge and I think this is a great opportunity for me.
"I am excited. I feel blessed and honoured to have had a wonderful career and still be in there. I know for sure that I have more to prove, and I think in this fight it is going to show."
David Haye v John Ruiz is live in HD on Sky Box Office on Saturday night
Source: telegraph.co.uk
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