By Erik Schmidt: Heavyweight contender John Ruiz (44-8-1, 30 KO’s) returned to action following a 15 month period out of the ring to stop journeyman Adnan Serin (19-11-1, 7 KO’s) in the 7th round on Saturday night at the Arena Nürnberger Versicherung, Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Bayern, Germany.

Ruiz, 37, looked in excellent physical shape in taking apart the 34-year-old Serin and pounding him with right hands in the 7th until Serin’s corner stepped in to stop the fight. Referee Josef Temml officially stopped the bout at 1:34 of the 7th. Ruiz hurt Serin with a right hand in the 7th and then hit him with two more rights to the head causing referee Josef Temml to give a standing eight count to Serin. Following that, Ruiz hit Serin twice more with big right hands until Serin’s corner threw in the towel.

Ruiz kept himself on course for a title bout against World Boxing Association David Haye, who defeated big Nikolay Valuev by a 12 round majority decision in the main event on the same card. Ruiz looked a lot better than Haye in his fight, although it was easier for Ruiz because he wasn’t facing 7-foot Valuev this time. Ruiz lost a controversial 12 round split decision last year.

Ruiz controlled the action against Serin in rounds one though four, hitting him with powerful uppercuts and hooks. Serin rarely threw anything back that landed and seemed to be content with just soaking up punishment from Ruiz. In the 4th round, Ruiz was cut between the eyes from a head butt.

Ruiz punished in the 5th and 6th rounds, hitting him with hard right hands over and over again. Serin’s right eye was bruised by the 6th. Ruiz landed a lot of hard shots in the 6th round and it seemed clear that the fight wasn’t going to last much longer. In between rounds, it looked like Serin’s corner was ready to stop the fight. However, they sent him out for the 7th and the bout was quickly stopped after Ruiz hurt Serin with a series of hard right hands to the head.

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Former World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion Sergey Lyakhovich (24-3, 15 KO’s) stopped journeyman Jeremy Bates (22-17-1, 18 KO’s) in the 1st round of a scheduled eight round bout. Lyakhovich, 33, staggered Bates with three hard right hands and then followed it with a big left hook to the head that had Bates out on his feet. Referee Ingo Barrabas then stepped in and stopped the bout at 2:11 of the round.

Lyakhovich was making his first appearance since being defeated by Nikolay Valuev in a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision last year in February. Lyakhovich looked rusty and unsure himself at times against Bates, who came into the fight having lost seven of his last eight bouts. Early in the round, Bates hit Lyakhovich with a hard right hand that sent Lyakhovich falling against the ropes.

It didn’t exactly make Lyakhovich look like championship material. However, Lyakhovich responded well by tagging Bates with left hooks to the head that seemed to hurt the journeyman. Once Lyakhovich discovered that Bates was susceptible to lefts, he continues to pour them on and soon after staggered Bates with one. Lyakhovich then went right hand crazy after hurting Bates staggering him further and battering him until the referee stepped in and stopped the bout.

Although Lyakhovich won the fight, he has a long ways to go before he’s back in the thick of things. It remains to be seen whether he can make it back to where he was as a champion in 2006.