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04/29/2005 Archived Entry: "Weighing in on Ruiz vs. Toney"
Weighing in on Ruiz vs. Toney
Compiled by J.D. Vena
Yesterday at MSG, the two-time Latino heavyweight champ John "The Quietman" Ruiz weighed in at his regular fighting weight range of 241 pounds. His opponent, James “Lights Out” Toney, a three-time world champion and once a former middleweight champion also weighed in around Ruiz’ weight proximity. Only two years removed from what many consider to be a his finest performance, a 12-round win over Vassiliy Jirov at 190 pounds, Toney tipped the scales yesterday at a whopping 233 pounds. Even at this unusual weight for Toney, like Roy Jones, Jr., he is favored to beat the underrated Ruiz. Incidentally, should Toney win the heavyweight title, he’ll become the fourth oldest boxer to do so. Below are some of the historical numbers that reflect the impact of tomorrow night’s WBA heavyweight title fight.
Middleweight Champions to have fought Heavyweight Champions in Title Fights
3/17/1897 BOB FITZSIMMONS (167) KO14 James Corbett (183)
6/9/1899 Jim Jeffries (206) KO11 BOB FITZSIMMONS (167)
7/25/1902 Jim Jeffries (219) KO8 BOB FITZSIMMONS(167)
10/16/1909 Jack Johnson (205) KO12 STANLEY KETCHELL(170)
3/1/2003 ROY JONES, JR.(193) W12 John Ruiz (226)
4/30/2005 John Ruiz (241) Scheduled 12 JAMES TONEY (233)
Middleweight Champions to have fought Heavyweight Champions (Non-title)
5/23/1922 HARRY GREB (162) W15 Gene Tunney (174) *
2/23/1923 Gene Tunney (174) W15 HARRY GREB (165) *
12/10/1923 Gene Tunney (175) W15 HARRY GREB (171) *
9/17/1924 Gene Tunney (180) ND10 HARRY GREB (163)
7/22/1931 MICKEY WALKER (168) D10 Jack Sharkey (198)
9/26/1932 Max Schmeling TKO8 MICKEY WALKER
9/8/1997 IRAN BARKLEY TKO11 Gerrie Coetzee
6/29/1999 Trevor Berbick W8 IRAN BARKLEY
Oldest Fighters to win a heavyweight title
George Foreman (45 years, 9 months)
Evander Holyfield (38 years, 10 months)
Jersey Joe Walcott (37 years, 1 month)
James Toney (36 years, 8 months) **
Lennox Lewis (36 years, 2 months)
Muhammad Ali (36 years, 1 month)
Evander Holyfield (35 years, 1 month)
Jess Willard (33 years, 4 months)
Roy Jones, Jr. (33 years, 2 months)
* For U.S. Light heavyweight title
** Should Toney defeat Ruiz, he will become the 4th oldest to ever win a heavyweight crown
Middleweights in caps
