David Haye defeated John Ruiz in a WBA heavyweight championship bout held Saturday at M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England, with 20,000 spectators in attendance. After nine rounds of fighting, Ruiz’s trainer Miguel Diaz threw in the towel. Haye, 29, now holds a record of 24-1, with 22 knockouts among his victories. The 38-year-old Ruiz’s record dropped to 44-9-1, including 30 knockouts. The fight represented Ruiz’s attempt to reclaim the WBA title he had previously won by defeating legendary champion Evander Holyfield in Las Vegas, making him the first Latino to hold the heavyweight championship. Councillor-at-Large Calvin Brown, himself a former amateur boxing champion, watched a replay and observed that Ruiz demonstrated considerable courage and determination despite being knocked down twice in the opening round. “John Ruiz showed everyone what a true champion he is,” Brown commented. “He displayed toughness and determination against a younger opponent who was fighting in front of his fans. I congratulate John on a great career in boxing. He brought a lot of excitement and pride to his fans in Chelsea and across the world. I feel it’s time, though, for John to hang up his gloves.”
Ruiz falls short in bid for heavyweight title
