One guy is the first and only Hispanic heavyweight champion and the other has more belts than pants. Yet they’re both talking about wanting respect.
At a press conference held at the Rainbow Room yesterday, WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz was called by Don King the “winningest loser” he’s ever seen and Roy Jones, Jr.’s posse begged those in attendance to finally give their man the props they think he deserves.
Tabbed for Las Vegas on March 1, 2003, Jones will finally fight someone of any significance and Ruiz will finally appear in a match of any publicity (the Evander Holyfield trifecta caused only a slight murmur).
That’s the main plot line. But that only scratches the canvas.
Jones, after years of toiling in middleweight obscurity, will be fighting an opponent who hits harder than anyone he’s every shared a ring with.
“I’ve never been in a fight like this before in my life,” said Jones (47-1, 38 KOs). “I don’t know what it’s going to be like. I’d be worried if he was going to hit me, but he’s not going to hit me.”
“He’s going to be dancing around the ring,” said Ruiz (37-4-1 27 KOs). “It’s something I have to be ready for. I have to hit the body to wear him down.”
Then there’s the pressure, which draped itself all over Ruiz once he signed this match. Talk about a lose-lose situation: Win and so what, he’s beat a man 30 pounds lighter than him. Lose and he’s a disgrace for the same reasons.
“I’ve got everything to lose,” said Ruiz. “There’s gonna be a lot of pressure on me.”