John Ruiz is David Haye's ticket to the stars, a perfect opportunity to electrify the heavyweight division.
Ruiz is one of the good guys in boxing. He appreciates what boxing has given him and treats the game with respect.
Given the limited history of Puerto Rican heavyweights, Ruiz has had a remarkable career, twice winning the world title.
But any idea he would be mentioned in the same breath as Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield were he to beat David Haye tonight is ridiculous.As much as I like Ruiz he has never impressed me as a fighter. He is underpowered and ponderous.
His principal strength has been to make others look awful. And that was when he was at his peak. Now, with his famed durability waning, he looks ready to go.
He has been stopped only once in his career, a crushing 19-second KO 14 years back by David Tua.Haye does not have Tua's outright power but he has enough and he is a million times quicker. I can see this ending early. Haye needs an early check-out to enhance his box-office standing.
Haye is engaged in a one-man crusade to jazz up boxing's shop window. The trash talk he rattles off at the Klitschko brothers is calculated to spike interest.
Every Ali needs a Joe Frazier, every George Foreman a Ken Norton. Haye knows he needs the Klitschkos to make his name and his fortune.
The brothers also know they need Haye. The idea both might fight him is a gift for the big American broadcasters desperate for a new story to tell. The division is as flat as a pancake, or in the case of Eddie Chambers, as fat as a pat-a-cake. There is no future in world title bouts featuring the likes of him.
Wladimir Klitschko finally put him away in the last round with a terrific shot. That the fight lasted that long says more about Klitschko than Chambers.
Haye is a throwback to the old tradition of the 220lbs heavyweight. At 15st 10lbs he would have been perfect for the Seventies golden era.
Ali, Frazier, Mike Tyson and even George Foreman in his early days campaigned around that weight, allowing them to combine speed and power to best effect.
The super heavy period begun by Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis ran aground in the shape of Nikolai Valuev.
Don King knew what he was doing praising Haye to the skies after his victory over the big Russian.
He saw the future there and then, the East v West shootout. The looming battle with the Klitschkos can be seen as a battle for the future of the sport; the 21st Century super tanker heavy versus the traditional heavy of the division's Seventies heyday.
Haye seems well suited to the heavier weight since moving up from cruiser.
He does not look as ripped but the extra pounds have enhanced the resistance lacking when having to make weight.
Manny Pacquiao was dropped plenty at super bantam and featherweight, but none can budge him at welterweight.
Haye has yet to answer all the questions about his stamina, but rocking Valuev late on will have given him a lot of confidence.
I'm taking Haye to get after Ruiz early and look great doing so. Watch out for that big KO and with it take-off for the next British boxing superstar.
Source: mirror.co.uk
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