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01/29/2008 Archived Entry: "Ruiz vows to clean-up heavyweight division"
Ruiz vows to clean-up heavyweight division
Starting Mar. 8 vs. McCline
Press Release
Photo by Juan C. Ayllon
Ruiz (right) shown attacking Otis Tisdale last October
LAS VEGAS (January 28, 2008) – Two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz (42-7-1, 29 KOs), rated No. 3 by the WBA and No. 6 by the WBC, returns to the ring March 8 against Jameel “Big Time” McCline on the Oleg Maskaev-Samuel Peter card in Cancun, Mexico.
“I’m getting ready to clean-up the heavyweight division, starting March 8 with McCline, and then I want the Maskaev-Peter winner,” Ruiz said from his Las Vegas training camp with head trainer Manny Siaca, Sr. “McCline almost beat Peter in his last fight and he’s a lot better than some people give him credit for. He floored Peter three times but we’ll see how tough he is on March 8.
In his last fight, Ruiz stopped Otis Tisdale in the second round of their October 13 bout in Chicago, which marked the first time since 1999 that “The Quietman” fought an opponent who wasn’t a world champion, former title-holder, or rated in the top 10.
“I’ve always wanted to fight in Puerto Rico,” the first and only Hispanic heavyweight champion remarked. “We just haven’t had the right opportunity, yet. But I’m looking forward to fighting in front of all the Latinos at this fight in Cancun.”
Ruiz, who has fought in 11 world championship fights (including one interim and one eliminator), has beaten three world heavyweight champions -- Evander Holyfield, Hasim Rahman and Tony Tucker – as well as top contenders Andrew Golota, Fres Oquendo and Kirk Johnson during his 15-year pro career.
McCline (38-8-3, 23 KOs) is a three-time world title challenger, currently rated No. 9 by the WBC and No. 14 by the WBO, who has defeated former world champion Shannon Briggs.
