The most interested spectator Saturday in Versicherung Arena for the WBA heavyweight title fight between defending Nikolai “The Russian Giant” Valuev and challenger David “The Haymaker” Haye will be former 2-time WBA title-holder John “The Quietman” Ruiz.

Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs), the WBA top contender, agreed with the promoters for Valuev and Haye to “step aside” as the WBA “Official Challenger." By defeating ex-IBU champion Adnan “Aachen Assassin” Serin (19-10-1, 7 KOs) in Saturday’s 10-round co-feature on the “David vs. Goliath” Pay-Per-View event, he is guaranteed a title bout against the Valuev-Haye winner by the end of May, 2010.

Ruiz doesn’t necessarily care who wins the title fight between Valuev (50-1, 34 KOs), who “The Quietman” has dropped two close decisions to in Germany, and London-based Haye (22-1, 21 KOs). He will be watching Valuev-Haye closely, though, after his scheduled PPV-opening bout against Serin.

“I’m 0-3 in Germany and 6-0 fighting in England,” Ruiz joked, “so I guess I’d rather fight Haye. “I’m really looking forward to this fight. I know no fight is easy and that I have to get past this one to get the winner of Valuev-Haye. I know there’s another world title fight in the horizon for me, but I have to win this fight to get the next one.

“I’m very happy that my fight is going to be on pay per view in North America. My fans and media there haven’t been able to watch my last few fights because they weren’t televised there. They think I still fight the same way (clutch-and-grab), but I’m much more aggressive, and now they’ll be able to see how much I’ve improved.

"I’ve been working hard the past three months with my new head trainer, Miguel Diaz, and assistant (former WBA bantamweight) Richie Sandoval. Somewhere along the line, I got away from the basics, and we’ve been working in that area. I had been leaning in and landing too close to my opponent, which resulted in a lot of clutching and grabbing. We’ve improved my style; I’m more aggressive now, moving more and getting hit less.”

Additional undercard bouts and highlights will also air on PPV. Two other former world champions are on the card, heavyweight Sergei Liakhovich (23-3, 14 KOs) and cruiserweight Kelvin “Concrete” Davis (24-10-3, 17 KOs) vs. Jeremy “The Best” Bates (22-16-1, 18 KOs) and unbeaten IBF No. 10 rated Alexander Frankel, respectively. Undefeated WBC & WBA No. 3 rated cruiserweight Francisco “The Wizard” Palacios (18-0, 11 KOs) is also on the undercard versus DeLeon Tingsley (9-4-1, 5 KOs).

Valuev-Haye is promoted by Wilfried Sauerland’s Sauerland Event and its Managing Director, Christian Meyer, in association with Don King Productions. The “David vs. Goliath” show is being distributed in the United States and Canada by Integrated Sports for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN, DISH Network, Viewer’s Choice, Shaw PPV and Bell TV for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. A replay will be shown that same night at 9 PM/ET, 6 PM/PT.

Share/Save | (0) comments | Add your comments
Click to read more boxing articles by Boxing Press

Discuss in Boxing Forum

---

Related Boxing Articles...

• WBA Mandatory Challenger John Ruiz Looking To Stop Valuev vs. Haye

  Team Ruiz believes a potential WBA title fight title between champion Nicolai Valuev and David Haye is nothing more than a matter of wishful arrogance. Team Ruiz has already contacted >
  
  

• John Ruiz Will Challenge New WBA Boxing Champ David Haye In 2010

  Two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz did exactly what he was supposed to do tonight in Germany, stopping former IBU title-holder Adnan “Aachen Assassin” Serin, to set the >
  
  

• Boxing Weights: Nicolai Valuev vs. David Haye

  WBA heavyweight Championship, 12 rounds Nicolai Valuev: 314.6 lb David Haye: 216.7 lb Heavyweights, 10 rounds John Ruiz: 226 lb Adnan Serin: 214.5 lb Heavyweights, 8 rounds Sergei Liakhovich: 232.8 lb Jeremy Bates: 231.4 lb Heavyweights, 8 rounds Robert Helenius: >
  
  

• Boxing Update: Ruiz Wants Klitschko If Valuev Bid Falls Through

  If the WBA doesn’t rule in favor of a petition filed for two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz (43-8-1, 29 KOs) to fight WBA heavyweight champion Nicolai Valuev >
  
  

• Ex-Boxing Champ John Ruiz Added To Valuev vs. Haye Lineup

  Two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz, the current WBA No. 1 rated and “official challenger,” has been matched against former IBU champion Adna “Aachen Assassin” Serin on >
  
  

• Boxing Result: David Haye Unseats WBA Champ Nicolai Valuev

  

  © Chris Royle - Hoganphotos / Golden Boy Promotions England's David Haye pulled off a major upset last night at Arena Verischerung in Nuremberg, Germany, taking the WBA heavyweight title from >
  
  

• Boxing in Germany: John Ruiz Loses Controversial Split Decision To Nikolay Valuev

  After having been awarded several controversial decision victories during title fights, WBA Heavyweight Champion John Ruiz found himself on the losing end last night at Max Schmeling Halle in Berlin >
  
  

• Boxing Preview Analysis: Nicolai Valuev vs. David Haye

  

  © SE / Photo Wende After what seems like an eternity, David finally meets Goliath when David Haye challenges Nikolai Valuev for his WBA Heavyweight Championship in Nuremberg, Germany tonight. For Haye, >
  
  

• Boxing Update: John Ruiz Declared WBA Mandatory Challenger

  The WBA Championship Committee has declared two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz, 43-8-1 (29), presently rated No. 3, as the mandatory challenger for the winner of this year’s >
  
  

• Ex-Heavyweight Boxing Champ Valuev Says King Didn’t Want Haye Fight

  Former two-time WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev felt compelled today to post comments on his company’s website regarding his decision to agree to make an optional defense of his crown >
  
  

---

Boxing News Tags: David Haye, John Ruiz, Nickolay Valuev