********boxing.com:

Ruiz-Golota: Ruiz Wins Ugly ... Again

13.11.04 - By Rev. Marc Axelrod: This was an ugly fight to watch and an ugly fight to score. Larry Merchant didn't even fill out his scorecard for the last five rounds. But when it was all said and done, John Ruiz had rallied from an early deficit to score a unanimous decision over Andrew Golota, a decision which was roundly booed by many in attendance, who felt that Golota had done enough to deserve the decision.

The scoring of the fight was 114-111 twice and 113-112, all for Ruiz. Like Merchant, I too felt like giving up trying to score this frustrating grabfest. Things started off well for Ruiz, who came roaring out of his corner in round one, ripping Golota with shots to the body and rights to the head. The early assault by Ruiz seemed to take Golota by surprise, who covered up against the ropes for much of the round.

Round two started out as more of the same, with Ruiz pitching and Golota catching. That is, until Ruiz ran into a straight right hand from Golota which deposited him on the seat of his pants. Ruiz got up, but seconds later, he was dropped by a looping right to the head and a push.

After that, Ruiz abandoned his aggressive style and returned to the defensive, grabbing style which has made him one of the more unpopular fighters in the heavyweight division. He was penalized a point in round four for hitting twice on the break.

But beginning with round five, Ruiz took over the fight. Time and again, he would either slip under a right lead from Golota and duck into a clinch, or he would land a shot and fall into a clinch. Over the second half of the fight, Ruiz landed a number of sizzling hooks and crisp crosses which froze Andrew in place. Golota, for his part, rarely landed anything flush after
the 5th round, save for an occasional counter hook or shot to the body. A solid left hook by Ruiz ripped a gash over Andrew's right eye and shook him with some combinations in the 9th round, but the flow of blood was stemmed by Golota's cutman. Ruiz even staggered Golota in the 11th round with some of his shots.

Perhaps the most gratifying moment in the fight was in the 8th round when referee Randy Neumann finally had enough of Norm Stone's insults and abusive language tand sent the pugnacious trainer of Ruiz back to the dressing room.

There were numerous fights that broke out in the aisles from the first round on, and these fights were often more entertaining than the one that was taking place in the ring. But the fighters stayed focused on their tasks.

I scored the fight 113-112 for Ruiz. I gave Golota round two by a 10-7 margin and round four 10-8 due to the point loss on account of Ruiz hitting on the break. But I only gave Andrew two other rounds. The rest of the time, he allowed John to get off first.

The win for Ruiz and the earlier win by Rahman sets them on a collision course for a rematch. Ruiz won their first meeting in ugly fashion, and nothing I saw tonight leads me to believe that the second fight would be any different. Ruiz makes it work for him, and he must get credit for
finding yet another way to win.

Golota's next step is unclear. He may decide to aim for a rematch with Chris Byrd, or he may sit back and wait for Don King to fix him up with a match.

The ********* write-up doesn't have the word 'controversy' anywhere on it and the HBO announcers didn't have anything to say to that effect either. This was no Brewster-Meehan, Griffin-Hoye, or Oquendo-Byrd. Golota's corner told him he needed a knockout, so obviously they weren't convinced he was ahead. As Ruiz's corner said the same, Larry Merchant said "They must have no idea who's winning this fight either"

Ruiz retains title barely!

Sunday, November 14 2004

By Matt Richardson at ringside

WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz retained his title with a come-from-behind unanimous decision over Andrew Golota Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. With Ruiz and Golota in the ring, one knew they could expect the unexpected. Ruiz came out aggressively in round one, and both fighters hit each other after the bell. Golota floored Ruiz with a right hand in round two, then got credit for another knockdown after throwing Golota to the deck. Golota followed up with a shot to the back of Ruiz' head when he was down. By round three, the action slowed as Ruiz returned to his familiar punch and clinch tactic. Referee Randy Neumann deducted a point from Ruiz in round four for hitting Golota on the break. Ruiz cornerman Stoney Stone launched into a profanity-laden tirade against Newmann during round five. After the round, Neumann told Stone one more outburst "and you're out." The clinchfest continued until round eight, when Stone was banished from Ruiz' corner. Again, both fighters traded punches after the bell. In round nine, Ruiz cut Golota's right eye with a big left hook. Ruiz continued to outwork Golota in the tenth but Golota floored him with a shot to the back of the head after the bell. No knockdown or foul was called. Ruiz closed with a strong round twelve. Scores were 114-111, 113-112, 114-111.

Golota should have been DQ'd in the 2nd round when he pushed Ruiz to the floor - it was called a knockdown - and then punched Johnny when he was on his knees. Any extra minutes he was given to KO Ruiz were the gift - people act like Golota was a victim of fouling in this fight - this is the guy named "The Foul Pole". Both guys were fighting dirty and Golota hit after the bell more times than Ruiz did.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=byrdruizcard&prov=st&type=lgns

Byrd, Ruiz retain heavyweight titles


November 14, 2004
By David Gonzalez SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NEW YORK (Ticker) - WBA champion John Ruiz and IBF titleholder Chris Byrd both overcame obstacles en route to retaining their heavyweight titles Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

Ruiz battled mental challenges while Byrd overcame more of a physical disadvantage.

Despite being dropped twice in the second round and having a point deducted two rounds later, Ruiz retained his title with a unanimous decision over Andrew Golota.

In the co-feature, Byrd retained his belt with a tough split-decision triumph over mandatory contender Jameel McCline.

Ruiz (41-5-1) came out fast but was floored twice in the second round. In the opening minute of the round, Golota countered one of Ruiz's wild charges and nailed the champ flush with a right to the jaw.

Ruiz was up by the count of five but was on unsteady footing and collapsed to the canvas later in the round. His deficit became a much bigger factor in the fourth, when referee Randy Neumann penalized him a point for hitting behind the head.

In the fifth, Ruiz landed a right to the head and may have had Golota in trouble, but Newman stopped the action because of loose tape hanging off the glove of the champ.

During the break in the action, Ruiz's trainer Norman Stone berated Newman for stopping the action, using a series of expletives to describe his displeasure.

Golota fought passively in the middle rounds, apparently confused by the awkward style of Ruiz.

The fight was halted again due to tape on the glove in the eighth and Stone again went after Newman, who promptly ejected him from ringside.

After the bell in the eighth, Ruiz blatantly drilled Golota in the back of the head in a roughhouse tactic. Ruiz did rally without his trainer, winning the ninth and 10th rounds.

With Ruiz pressing the action in the 12th, he landed a right that rocked Golota (38-5-1). The blow seemed to sap the challenger of his energy and he was unable to rally over the final 90 seconds.

Judges Tom Schreck and Oscar Perez scored the bout 114-111, while Frank Lombardi had the fight 113-112.
Despite giving up 56 pounds and 4 1/2 inches, Bryd (38-2-1) showed tremendous grit in the "championship rounds.

Judge Glenn Feldman scored the bout, 114-112, for McCline. Judges Don Trella (115-112) and Luis Rivera (114-113) had the fight for Byrd.

McCline dropped Byrd in the closing seconds of the second round with a right to the head. In the third, McCline used his size advantage to dominate the action.

"I thought I hit him perfect," McCline said. "I was surprised he got up."

"I can't believe it happened," Byrd said about the knockdown. "He me right behind the ear. It was a perfect shot."

McCline hurt Byrd with another big right hand with a minute left in the fifth. But the champion began to find his range in the middle rounds as McCline seemed to tire.

McCline (31-4-3) continued to lumber late in the fight and was hit hard into the 10th. With the fight hanging in the balance and trailing on all three scorecards, Byrd won the 11th and 12th rounds to retain his title.

"The way I fought back, show I am a true champion," Bryd said. "I had to dig down deep."

"It looked like I feel apart a little at the end and it cost me," McCline said. "He has fast hand and took me out of my game plan. That was the difference."

I think your a little overly obsessed with Ruiz being judged fairly in this fight and his win. I didn't see the fight so I can't comment on my take on the decision, but you seem to be awefully worked up about people on this site thinking Ruiz got a gift. Are you actually a Ruiz fan? And if you are, may I ask why you would be?

I think your a little overly obsessed with Ruiz being judged fairly in this fight and his win. I didn't see the fight so I can't comment on my take on the decision, but you seem to be awefully worked up about people on this site thinking Ruiz got a gift. Are you actually a Ruiz fan? And if you are, may I ask why you would be?

I'm not obsessed. It's the hot topic right now - it was the main event of a large PPV card just last night.

I'm not really a Ruiz fan, but I understand some of the bias against him is about his style, which if allowed by the refs, is an allowed strategy.

Sure the fans booed, but they cheered Holyfield - and that doesn't mean they thought he won.

I like to back up what I say with outside sources. If that makes me obsessed, oh well. I know you like tangling with me whenever possible...

I'm not obsessed. It's the hot topic right now - it was the main event of a large PPV card just last night.

I'm not really a Ruiz fan, but I understand some of the bias against him is about his style, which if allowed by the refs, is an allowed strategy.

Sure the fans booed, but they cheered Holyfield - and that doesn't mean they thought he won.

I like to back up what I say with outside sources. If that makes me obsessed, oh well. I know you like tangling with me whenever possible...


...nah, I'm not trying to tangle at all. I was just wondering out loud. Fair enough on your assesment.

Like I said earlier, admit that you are a Ruiz fan already.

Like I said earlier, admit that you are a Ruiz fan already.


....That would be like admitting that you like fat women, or riding mopeds, or watching girly movies and crying. Surely nobody but Ruiz's own relatives would admit that they were a fan of his. And why would they? what is there to like?

Like I said earlier, admit that you are a Ruiz fan already.

The only heavyweight I'm really a "fan" of is Mike Tyson, but I'd like to see Ruiz beat that guy in your avatar!

....That would be like admitting that you like fat women, or riding mopeds, or watching girly movies and crying. Surely nobody but Ruiz's own relatives would admit that they were a fan of his. And why would they? what is there to like?

They must work for the AP and that other boxing site to print such lies that the guy won the fight legitimately.

They must work for the AP and that other boxing site to print such lies that the guy won the fight legitimately.



...Yeah, I can't really coment on the fight since I didn't see it. I have seen Ruiz fight on many occasions though, and it's enough tell me that the guy is straight up garbage.

They should have disqualified Ruiz for hugging.

Hugging is an illegal defense that Ruiz used to avoid counterpunches.

The boxing rules should also change to resolutely penalize this hugging by the means of disqualification.

Ruiz was awefull. His "boxing" is painfull and horrible to watch.

I hope WBA simply strips him of his title for failing to box.
If not, WBA should rename themselves into the World Hugging Association.

It was only highly controversial cos no one cares about either fighter really..

Funny, the sites that I read were shocked at the outcome as well, so we're not the only ones....

The only heavyweight I'm really a "fan" of is Mike Tyson, but I'd like to see Ruiz beat that guy in your avatar!

So I'll take it that that means that you are a Ruiz fan. You should have just admit it back during this post.

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1648&page=3&pp=10&highlight=heavyweights

What did Golota say after everything, because I was reading the coverage like most of you, and I read the post-fight comments of alot of the fighters after their fights, but I didn't see any for the Golota vs. Ruiz fight, were there any?

Apparently you missed this article which was posted on numerous boxing sites.

http://www.braggingrightscorner.com/sharkieheavies111304.html

dude ruiz did not win that fihgt

john ruiz ruins boxing 4 all of the boxing fans. he's garbage!!!!

Oh man. Look guy, in general, fans and media types look at the sport differently. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to accuse anyone of wrongdoing, but they view Ruiz winning as a good thing. Stability at the top is what makes a class worth watching. As long as Ruiz keep winning, the top is stable. It's good for the sport. Mebbe not in the numbers department, but in the long run. Eventually someone will come along, and Ruiz will have held the title for two or three years, and if the newcomer beats him he'll have a good claim to being the man. If Golota had won, which would have been more fair in my opinion, he probably would have lost the title in his next fight. That means the title changes hands twice in as many fights and equals instability. That's why the average fan out there is yelling robbery, and the average sports writer is breathing a sigh of a relief and probably having a drink to keep the disgust down.

So I'll take it that that means that you are a Ruiz fan. You should have just admit it back during this post.

http://www.boxingscene.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1648&page=3&pp=10&highlight=heavyweights

It's funny how I can make a post three and four times larger than the average BoxingScene post, post back-up information explaining my reasoning for the rankings, mention two dozen heavyweights and explain my reason for ranking/omitting, but since my choice for #1 doesn't match yours, it makes me a fan? of the people I ranked ahead of your guy.

You seem to think it's impossible to have an opinion that's different than that of your own without having some kind of bias. Are you related to pbds?