John Ruiz! An inspiration to all talentless athletes, appreciation time.

[AdamGB]

pretty much sums up how I feel Bilbo (other than the on heat bit... must be the autum weather or something :P)... and you get a CC for Red Dwarf...

[Gandalf]

He doesn't actually bother me that much to be honest.

He's not a great fighter by any stretch but it's not his fault if the heavyweight division has been so poor in the last decade that he's been able to climb to the top.

Remember that in the history of the world only two former middleweights have ever won the heavyweight championship. That they both did so by beating Ruiz must be soul destroying to him.

You gotta feel sorry for a guy who loses his titles to two former 160 lbers and a carnivale act and who also suffered the most embarrasing knockout (against Tua) in history.

Add to that the fact that the great nickname bestowed on him by the people was 'The Quiet Man', lets be honest, the weakest nickname in the history of boxing, and you have to feel sorry for him.

I've said this before in relation to Ruiz but it's apt enough to be said again,

In the immortal words of Kryten in defense of Arnold Rimmer,

'John Ruiz is guilty of nothing more than of being John Ruiz. That is his crime, it is also his punishment.'

And may he continue to fry in the dungeons of Mordor!!! CC, Mr Bilbo of the Shire!!

[Bookkeeper]

I believe John Ruiz was meant to be in the UFC or K1. Think about it he loves to hold and elbow, he likes to tacticly grind him opponents down by leaning on them against the ropes and he loves to headbutt, maybe he was in the wrong sport this whole time.

[Kev]

He doesn't actually bother me that much to be honest.

He's not a great fighter by any stretch but it's not his fault if the heavyweight division has been so poor in the last decade that he's been able to climb to the top.

Remember that in the history of the world only two former middleweights have ever won the heavyweight championship. That they both did so by beating Ruiz must be soul destroying to him.

You gotta feel sorry for a guy who loses his titles to two former 160 lbers and a carnivale act and who also suffered the most embarrasing knockout (against Tua) in history.

Add to that the fact that the great nickname bestowed on him by the people was 'The Quiet Man', lets be honest, the weakest nickname in the history of boxing, and you have to feel sorry for him.

I've said this before in relation to Ruiz but it's apt enough to be said again,

In the immortal words of Kryten in defense of Arnold Rimmer,

'John Ruiz is guilty of nothing more than of being John Ruiz. That is his crime, it is also his punishment.'

This is probably the best statement that you have typed on saddosboxing since I have been a member, very well articulated. Like I said before he is an inspiration to all of us, if he can become HW champ of the world we can all do anything we put our mind too.

Thanks for the high praise bomber but I disagree with your conclusion.

That Ruiz became a multiple world champ says less about him and more about the state of the other guys. In any other era Ruiz wouldn't have broke into the top 20 let alone be a two or three time world champ. I certainly wouldn't use him as an inspiration, rather as a warning.

Ruiz winning a world title was like 19th century miners lowering a canary down a mine shaft. The Canary died and it was a warning that the air was unbreathable and to get the hell out.

Ruiz winning a world title is the dead canary, an alarm bell ringing imminent disaster to the heavyweight division. Unfortunately since Ruiz we've had Maskaev and Valuev winning world title belts, Holyfield coming back and yet another former middleweight, although now 42 and retired considering a move up to the heavyweight division.

This is less a canary in a cage, and more a mass extinction of all bird life kind of warning that the heavyweight division is about to self destruct

[ICB]

he doesnt bother me i dont think hes that good of a boxer but hell atleast his in there risking his a** and getting whacked in the face i admire any person that gets in the ring to risk there health or try and make better life for there family and there honour and for what they love doing

[Bookkeeper]

he doesnt bother me i dont think hes that good of a boxer but hell atleast his in there risking his a** and getting whacked in the face i admire any person that gets in the ring to risk there health or try and make better life for there family and there honour and for what they love doing

This is a perfect time for you to run for political office my friend.

[ICB]

he doesnt bother me i dont think hes that good of a boxer but hell atleast his in there risking his a** and getting whacked in the face i admire any person that gets in the ring to risk there health or try and make better life for there family and there honour and for what they love doing

This is a perfect time for you to run for political office my friend.

ha

[Mark TKO]

I rated Ruiz from day one.

He is actually in my all time top ten heavyweights - bottom end mind.

Those who don't appreciate him and his boxing style and ability are not true boxing fans

[The Boxer]

for the title

[Kev]

I rated Ruiz from day one.

He is actually in my all time top ten heavyweights - bottom end mind.

Those who don't appreciate him and his boxing style and ability are not true boxing fans

I feel the same about Audley Harrison. Both vastly under rated fighters in my book.

I'd love to see a mega fight between the two, maybe the winner could face Akinwande.

He's been in the wilderness for a few years but he's still dangerous.

Plus his and Ruiz style's would come head to head, who could do the better stuff on the inside? Who would be the most effective in terms of holding and grappling? I agree these elements are part of boxing and are vastly underappreciated.

[AdamGB]

I can't understand all the shit he gets... he is not an exciting fighter to watch by any means but he's done a fair bit and never really trash talks or puts any one done...

Some people I can't stand... trash talking brawlers who every one else seems to love.

Can't say I like Ruiz but I don't understand the amount of stick he gets off fight fans.

[Bookkeeper]

I can't understand all the S*** he gets... he is not an exciting fighter to watch by any means but he's done a fair bit and never really trash talks or puts any one done...

Some people I can't stand... trash talking brawlers who every one else seems to love.

Can't say I like Ruiz but I don't understand the amount of stick he gets off fight fans.

Not so fast AdamGB. Remember the press conference where he dressed up as a pimp while trash talking his opponent, what about when he called Lennox Lewis a girl after recieving a DQ victory over Kirk Johnson, he has disrespected many boxers as well as the sanctioning body and the boxing commission, all this and you would think he had superstar talent, there are boxers out there that talk more trash then him (Judah, Mayweather, Toney, Mayorga, etc) but all those boxers are superior athletes to John Ruiz, another thing is that the HW champion is the sports highest honor considering that the casual fan only likes the Heavyweights (and De La Hoya) and with his talent level he deserves the slack he get's, the reason you don't hear about his trash talk in the media is because the media does not care.

[AdamGB]

yeah but come on... the pimp thing was a bit... how should we say it?

pantomime.

Wasn't really trash talk... just a bit of fun with RJJ

Why do you think he was known as the (admitably crap) name 'the quiet man'? :P

[means2184]

I don't expect many of you to respond to a subject like this, watching John Ruiz is painful enough but talking about him is even worse, CC's for a week for whoever responds to this. Is John Ruiz a poster boy for all athletes who have no talent, every dork around the world should be motivated when watching an athlete like him, they should all say "If this bum can do it so can we" it's John Ruiz appreciation time, he is an athlete like no other. We shall all remember him when it's all over, if anybody can remember the movie REVENGE OF THE NERDS you should no that John is strait out of that molding, even after all said I would never fight the guy.

watching Ruiz fight was like watching gay porn,u almost have to think he actually liked the sweaty hugs

but i respect anyone who made his way through the ranks ...as boring as he is he has 11 1st round KOs ...and also he tried to get his shots off 1st then hold ,and so on ...he hugged his way to a title and made millions ...he coulda drove a UPS truck for a living but he decided to be a champion ...if you look at it just right it can be inspiring so..yes i appreciate John Ruiz ..but i do want my weeks worth of CCs for u making me say it ! lol

[Bookkeeper]

I don't expect many of you to respond to a subject like this, watching John Ruiz is painful enough but talking about him is even worse, CC's for a week for whoever responds to this. Is John Ruiz a poster boy for all athletes who have no talent, every dork around the world should be motivated when watching an athlete like him, they should all say "If this bum can do it so can we" it's John Ruiz appreciation time, he is an athlete like no other. We shall all remember him when it's all over, if anybody can remember the movie REVENGE OF THE NERDS you should no that John is strait out of that molding, even after all said I would never fight the guy.

watching Ruiz fight was like watching gay porn,u almost have to think he actually liked the sweaty hugs

but i respect anyone who made his way through the ranks ...as boring as he is he has 11 1st round KOs ...and also he tried to get his shots off 1st then hold ,and so on ...he hugged his way to a title and made millions ...he coulda drove a UPS truck for a living but he decided to be a champion ...if you look at just right it can be inspiring so..yes i appreciate John Ruiz ..but i do want my weeks worth of CCs for u making me say it ! lol

You deserve it anyway, here's the first one.