Haye v Ruiz confirmed for April 3rd

Britain's world heavyweight champion David Haye will make the first defence of his WBA title against American John Ruiz in Manchester on 3 April.

Ruiz is the WBA's mandatory challenger for Haye, who defeated Nikolay Valuev in November to claim the title.

"It's been 10 years since the heavyweight championship has been fought in Britain," said Haye.

"Now it's time to showcase my skills again in front of the great British public," added the 29-year-old...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/8479184.stm

This will be a tough test for Haye- unquestionably his biggest fight at HW thus far.

MTF opcorn:

 

"It's been 10 years since the heavyweight championship has been fought in Britain," said Haye,..

:shit: THE heavyweight championship ay?.. His paper belt actually belongs to Wlad.

 

:bangh: Dammit Ruiz needs to go away

 

Is Haye on a mission to destroy his own marketability? First take on a big misshapen, behemoth who you can't possibly stand and trade with, then.....this. Urgh.

 

Haye will stop Ruiz.

 

That'd be my pick too, but it could very easily turn to stink.

 

I could not care less.

 

no. he's on a mission to not lose.

 

Wow.....Haye is taking on Ruiz, immediately after beating Valuev?
Couldn't he fight his own sparring partner (say, Kevin Johnson), immediately after taking on some Arreola-like bum, the way Vitaly did?

 

I can't get even a little excited about this, but I guess it could have been worse and Haye could be fighting Hopkins or Holyfield.

 

It is his mandatory: don't think he had much choice...

MTF

 

Ruiz may not be the best, but he's one of the most aggressive and exciting guys in the division and it will be interesting if Haye's counterpunching tactics can hinder the slugger.

 

Say what?

MTF :bangh:

 

You occasionally say things that make me wonder if you've even seen the fighters you're talking about.

 

I do too actually - I always get a little excited when there is a heavyweight title fight... except when john ruiz is involved. he is a disgrace to the sport

 

ignore button is a Godsend

 

You think Ruiz is exciting and a slugger? Um...no!

However, I did find Tua-Ruiz to be very exciting.

 

He must be a troll. Nobody would really believe that.

It's not much different from saying Tyson is a boring, safety first jabber.

 

Ruiz by sneaky right hand KO.

 

I see this turning into a TFK vs Bama vs Reed vs The World thread.

Stay tuned.

 

what's that idiot Ruiz doing these days anyway - cheating and winning, or boxing and losing?

 

I think Haye knocks Ruiz out....too fast. I don't think Ruiz will be able to turn this into an inside fight.

I don't think Haye really had much option vs Valuev other than to do what he did.....even though Ruiz has a reputation of being a hard guy to look good against, i think Haye can be an exception......based on the speed advantage. He needs to look good to increase demand, and negotiating power, for a Klitschko fight

 

So you admit he looked like shite last time out?

 

H Christ, please don't ask me why but for some reason I had a compulsion to watch a little John Ruiz on youtube to see if he was as bad as remembered. Watched one round against Golota. 18 clinches in 3 minutes. Maybe 10 landed punched by both men combined. It was a fucking DISGRACE that he wasn't disqualified in that round, never mind that he was rewarded with the decision for what basically amounted to an attempted sabotage of the very sport.

I hope Haye knocks Ruiz out so hard he wakes up without any memory of what boxing even is.

 

He does that every morning anyway.

 

No, he boxed very well....it just wasn't much of a spectacle.

 

Well unlike most around here,.. I dont give a fuck that Haye has an allegedly sexy body, and I'm not hypnotised by it sprinting from corner to corner with a 'crafty' composure,.. I'm also not 'excited' unlike the eyes of most around here, that he 'makes up for it' by having a 'quick, flashy swing' once every round or so which makes ya'll go "ooooooo!"... the difference between him and Ruiz is some crowd pleasing handspeed, an apparent, sexy ripped-fetish physique, and a hell of alot more sprinting,.. Haye's performance against Valuev was one of the most bitch displays I've ever seen in my life.

This is also for a belt that was stolen from Chagaev, and it currently belongs to Wlad,.. and Haye participated in pre-determined arrangement for it, but still,..

He's refreshing,.. why?.......... for reasons best kept a secret most likely.

 

You are in good form of late Kauki, I'll grant you that.

MTF ::

 

While it was a bitch display, no argument, it wasn't even close to the level of bitchness that Dirrell displayed against Frock.

For starters he was simply running less, and flopping around less than Dirrell, and at least Haye had a reason - Valuev was twice his size. Dirrell didn't even have a reason, he's just pure bitch.

Regarding this fight, I haven't seen Ruiz fight in years, so it's hard to make a prediction.

If the Ruiz of old is anything to go by, I would favour Haye, but wouldn't be surprised in the least if Ruiz somehow managed to stink out a win.