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02/11/2005 Archived Entry: "New England Chatta"
New England Chatta
By J.D. Vena
Like the Patriots, Ruiz Hungry For More
Pats Owner Kraft, flanked by Ruiz and Stone
I know what you’re thinking. When it comes to New England sports chatter, boxing hasn’t been a main topic of discussion. And how could it possibly be one? For once, New Englanders head into the spring knowing they have a beloved Red Sox team entering spring training as the defending champions and a professional football franchise being compared to some of the greatest gridiron dynasties of the past, coming off their second consecutive and third Superbowl in four years. For once New Englanders have what some would call Yankee’s swagger if not an irremovable smile. There’s a certain feeling of content and confidence in the brisk air that is flowing through the lungs of New Englanders and some don’t even realize how much more we really have.
In addition to the promising future ahead for both the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox, many don’t realize that we are not only atop two of the major four sports, we also have a couple of boxing champions in WBA titles John “The Quietman” Ruiz (originally from Chelsea, MA) and Jose Rivera (37-3-1, 24 KOs) of Worcester. Both are world title holders and though Rivera, the welterweight titlist, has yet to make some money or a make title defense, the fighter formally known as “El Gallo,” is poised for one in the spring against mandatory unbeaten challenger, Thomas Damgaard.
Ruiz, 41-5-1, 28 KOs, on the other hand has been busy overachieving (according to most of his critics), just as the Patriots have over the last four years. Though there has been debate over the legitimacy of his title belt, Ruiz cannot be dismissed as one of the premier heavyweight pugilists of the world. With wins over top heavyweights such as Evander Holyfield, Hasim Rahman, Andrew Golota and Fres Oquendo, Ruiz is very much a force in today’s glamour division and negotiations with 2003 CBZ Fighter of the Year, James “Lights Out” Toney are inevitable.
Recently, I caught up with Team Ruiz at Freebirds, a cool bar owned by rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, in Jacksonville. The WBA heavyweight champion, who was attending his third Patriots Superbowl, courteous of Bob Kraft, was there to root on his favorite football team but assured the CBZ, like the Patriots, his desire for winning has not faltered.
“I guess if I looked back on my career and thought of how much I accomplished I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said the Quietman. “Years down the road I’ll look back at my career, but right now, my focus is on who I’m fighting next, whether it’s Toney or whoever.”
We’ll look back for you John. In Ruiz amateur days, Ruiz upset defending world champion Torsten May of Germany, who would later go on to win the gold medal at light heavyweight in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Ruiz didn’t make the Olympics that year when he lost a disputed nod to Jeremy Williams in the Olympic Trials. As has been theme of his career, Ruiz would bounce back from the discouraging setback. With scant financial resources to fund him and few people, other than manager Norman Stone, who believed in him, Ruiz worked his butt off for the next several years until landing a date on HBO.
The opportunity to shine proved to be a humiliating one, a 19-second knockout defeat to David Tua. But the ever-resilient Ruiz bounced back with 10 consecutive wins and a shot at Evander Holyfield. A valiant losing effort in that bout earned him a second title shot, which he took full advantage of and since then, a loss to Roy Jones, Jr., arguably the greatest boxer of all time, has been the only speed bump the Quietman has encountered during his long road.
Ruiz is not only the first Latino two-time world heavyweight champion, he’s the first heavyweight to have won a heavyweight title after previously being knocked out in the first round. Ruiz’ experience with defeat and how he’s dealt with it can be compared to how the Patriots dealt with their 31-0 defeat to the Bills in 2003 and last December’s last minute blunder with the Miami Dolphins. What is important to the proud champion is how he’s bounced back.
“Not many fighters can climb off the canvas and win a fight,” said Norman Stone, who was attending with his fighter. “Johnny’s done it and that’s one of the reasons that makes him special.”
Ruiz with shocked fan, Mark Daly of Bedford, MA
Still, like the Patriots, it may take time for the majority of fans to acknoledge and appreciate the Quietman and his accomplishments. At Freebird’s, WAAF rock radio host and retired Boston Bruins goon, Linden Byers, otherwise known as “LB,” addressed the party in attendance over a microphone to show his gratitude for Ruiz attending their party and also announced, “You want to know someone who is tough, even tougher than me?” Then, pointing toward Ruiz he said, “That guy right there everyone, Johnny Ruiz.”
Thanks for pointing that out to us LB.
