By Scott Gilfoid: Well, it’s finally here, the moment of truth for World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye (23-1, 21 KO’s). The boxing world will get to see if Haye is for real or just another pretender heavyweight faking his way with bluster. Haye has to put up or shut up. If he can’t get by the 38-year-old Ruiz and if he can’t look good in beating him, Haye’s stock will likely plummet dramatically. That’s just the way it is.

Haye has to perform against good (not great) heavyweight and show that he belongs on top of the WBA heavyweight division. Haye has the added pressure of fighting in front of what will probably be a large sellout crowd at the M.E.N. Arena, in Manchester, England. I hope Haye likes pressure. The way I see it Haye could end up with a lot of pie on his face unless he starts early and shows some of that fire that he’s talked about.

If Haye is going to be a different type of heavyweight, a better one supposedly compared to the current crop, then he needs to start putting his words into action. Thus far, I’ve seen nothing from Haye that reminds me of great heavyweights form the past like Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson. Haye likes to mention Lewis a lot and would like to have a similar career. I hope Haye can start being more like those two fighters by going after Ruiz tonight.

Haye is going to get hit, and I think he’s going to get hit a lot by Ruiz. Haye is facing a wily veteran, who has a lot of ring knowledge and tricks up his sleeves. This isn’t a guy that can be foiled by simply running making big wide circles around the ring all night long, avoiding action. Ruiz will step in front of Haye’s retreat path, and light him up if that is what Haye plans on doing all night long.

If it was me, I’d just go right at Ruiz and try to take him out as fast as I could. Even if Ruiz was able to beat me, at least I would have made things interesting for awhile. Haye needs to do exactly that. If Haye can’t beat Ruiz, then he really has no business name dropping the Klitschko brothers all the time. Ruiz is a prerequisite to taking the tougher courses like the Klitschko brothers. Can Haye beat Ruiz and look good. I doubt it. I haven’t see Haye face too many fighters that I personally consider all that good, and doubt that he’ll be able to rise to the occasion against Ruiz.

I think Ruiz is a better fighter than Valuev, even if he did lose twice to him. Ruiz has a lot more tools that Haye will have to deal with tonight. This isn’t a guy that just simply jabs and throws right hands. Ruiz can do it all – fight on the inside and outside, brawl and wrestle. He’s a complicated fighter to mix it up with because he’s so unorthodox. Haye is pretty much just a slugger. He can move a little when he has to, but Haye isn’t a real boxer, and to beat a guy like Ruiz, you have to have more things going for you than what I’ve seen from Haye.

Prediction: Ruiz by 8th round TKO