Roy Jones Jr. winning a HW title.

[Fenster]

Good piece of cynical matchmaking. Roy will forever go down as heavyweight champion even though in reality it was nothing more than a top light heavyweight beating a slow plodding non-puncher heavyweight.

Michalczewski or Ruiz? What would have been the better win?

It's like Ward swerving Kovalev to beat Lucas Browne (except he can punch) or Arreola (except he can punch too).

[Memphis]

Roy should get as much kudos as 90% of fighters moving up in weight going for titles. Their path of least resistance is a well beaten one. The fact that it was a portion of 'The Heavyweight Title' gives it an extra sprinkle of lustre. Ruiz is kind of an afterthought in the whole thing.

[mikeeod]

I think most of my points have already been brought up by others, so will say it was an impressive feat to start at 154 and win a portion of the heavyweight title from a full sized heavyweight. Roy looked very good that night, and dominated a fighter who had an awkward style and made some pretty good heavyweights look bad.

All of that being said, Ruiz was limited, at best, and the accomplishment was put into perspective when a completely untrained and fat James Toney beat Ruiz by fighting every other round. So, in summary, it's not as meaningless as the haters attempt to make it out to be, because Roy is the only fighter to accomplish that feat (start at 154 and win a portion of the heavyweight title). On the other hand, it isn't the miraculous accomplishment the fan boys proclaim as Ruiz was a limited fighter and no where near the threat/champion Lennox was (the way the fan boys talk about this fight proving Roy is the GOAT you would think he beat Lennox).

[sanatogen]

Talking of who AJ beat to win a title, I can't think of a worse world belt holder than Charles Martin in entire history? Can anyone else?

[Master]

Talking of who AJ beat to win a title, I can't think of a worse world belt holder than Charles Martin in entire history? Can anyone else?

Charles has won 2 fights since that loss but yes he was awful.

[powerpuncher]

Ruiz is not the worst HW title holder ever. Like I said before, he was more boring than bad. He had a good resume. He beat some pretty good fighters over his career and gave some other fighters a tough time.

He was in no way great, but there were definitely some worse title holders.

[Fenster]

Ruiz was never a dangerous heavyweight, which I think is a massive factor with all heavyweights. An all-time great like Holyfield wasn't a dynamite puncher but in his pomp had more than enough skill/speed/crack to hurt giants and beat the crap out of fellow heavyweights.

If you claim Ruiz had a good career after losing to Roy then Toney stopping Holy is even more impressive, he made him look like a mug. Yes Holy was a fossil, but afterwards he arguably beat Valuev, half-a-dozen years later, Rahman and Oquendo. His form as a fossil matches up with Ruiz post-Roy.