Roy Jones Jr. – Calculated Clowning

jones343By Jay McIntyre: The following article is amended from the one posted on my blog that includes visuals. For those of you interested, please visit: http://a-neutral-corner.blogspot.ca/2014/12/roy-jones-jr-calculated-clowning.html

Roy Jones Jr. is a popular high-light reel fighter. The speed and sheer decisiveness with which he ends fights has made him into something of a living legend. Make no mistake though, the Roy Jones Jr. that boxes today is a shadow of his former self.

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John Ruiz retires from Boxing – News

Image: John Ruiz retires from Boxing – NewsBy Jim Dower: Two time heavyweight champion John Ruiz (44-9-1, 30 KOs) has decided to hang up his boxing gloves and retire after an 18-year pro career in the sport, which saw the 38-year-old Ruiz capture the WBA heavyweight title twice and rack up wins over the likes of Kirk Johnson, Evander Holyfield, Hasim Rahman, Andrew Golota, Fres Oquendo, Tony Tucker, and Jameel McCline. However, Ruiz’s career ended on a sad note, as he was dominated and stopped by World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye in a 9th round TKO loss on April 3rd in Manchester, England.

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What are the chances that Haye fights another old guy next?

Image: What are the chances that Haye fights another old guy next?By Scott Gilfoid: I don’t know if anyone has noticed but WBA heavyweight champion David Haye has been fighting pretty much old guys since moving up to the heavyweight division in 2008. Let’s look at who Haye has faced since moving up in weight: Monte Barrett, 38, Nikolay Valuev, 36, John Ruiz, 38, and Tomasz Bonin, 33. Okay, apart from Ruiz, who Haye had no choice but to fight because he was his mandatory, Haye still has gone after a lot of old guys. Why is Haye being steered towards older fighters? As another writer pointed out, this a lot like how Amir Khan has been steered towards old toothless lions rather than ones with teeth and claws like Marcos Maidana.

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Ruiz would have stood a better chance against Haye if he used his old fighting style

Image: Ruiz would have stood a better chance against Haye if he used his old fighting styleBy William Mackay: 38-year-old John Ruiz made a huge mistake in trying to slug with WBA heavyweight champion David Haye last Saturday night. It was a game plan that was doomed for failure from the very start, and it’s too bad that Ruiz and his trainer didn’t make adjustments after the 1st round. Ruiz was knocked down twice in the 1st when he went right at the faster, more powerful Haye trying to punch with him.

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Haye wants his next fight to take place in the UK – News

Image: Haye wants his next fight to take place in the UK - NewsBy Eric Thomas: Making his first defense of his title, World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) was quite pleased at the sellout crowd of 20,000 fans that came to see his fight against John Ruiz (44-9-1, 30 KO’s) last Saturday night at the M.E.N. Arena, in Manchester, England. Haye, 29, fighting with a lot of motivation backed by the loud support of the crowd took the 38-year-old Ruiz apart, knocking him down four times before the fight was stopped by Ruiz’s corner throwing in the towel in the 9th round.

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Haye shows porous defense in Ruiz win

Image: Haye shows porous defense in Ruiz winBy William Mackay: WBA heavyweight champion David Haye showed a leaky defense in taking out an old 38-year-old John Ruiz in the 9th round last night in front of 20,000 screaming British fans at the M.E.N. Arena, in Manchester, England. Haye knocked Ruiz down four times in the fight before it was eventually stopped in the 9th with Ruiz taking punishment along the ropes and unable to really defend himself. I’m no big fan of the Klitschko brothers, but I have to say I think they both would make easy work of the Haye that fought last night. Haye’s defense was simply atrocious.

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Haye: “If I hit the Klitschkos with the same shots I was hitting Ruiz, both of them would go over” – News

Image: Haye: “If I hit the Klitschkos with the same shots I was hitting Ruiz, both of them would go over” - NewsBy Scott Gilfoid: World Boxing Association heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) was in fine form after last night’s 9th round technical knockout over the slow, short 38-year-old John Ruiz (44-9-1, 30 KO’s, as Haye tooted his own horn, saying “If I hit the Klitschkos with the same shots I was hitting Ruiz, both of them would go over.” I suppose Haye is correct about that. If both Klitschko brothers were stupid enough to just stand there in front of Haye all night long, crouching down to the same height as the 6’2” Ruiz, throwing mainly weak punches, then I could have seen Haye knocking both of the Klitschko brothers out.

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Haye KO’s the doubters

Image: Haye KO's the doubtersBy Shaun Campbell: David Haye knocked John Ruiz’s game plan out the window within the first minute of their bout last night. Ruiz was walking into stiff jabs from Haye, and then a combination landed with speed that most middleweights would be proud of. Those in MEN Arena rose to their feet as it looked like the fight was all but over. But credit must be given to the durable, tough, and ever so brave John Ruiz.

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Observations on Haye vs. Ruiz bout

Image: Observations on Haye vs. Ruiz boutBy Scott Gilfoid: First of all, I think WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) should have been disqualified for the many rabbit punches he threw in the fight. I’m frankly shocked at how poorly the referee enforced the rules against throwing rabbit punches to the back of the head. Haye knocked John Ruiz down four times in the fight, but I saw three of them occurring from rabbit punches. And incredibly, the referee counted the 2nd knockdown against Ruiz as an actual knockdown, even though the referee took a point away from Haye for throwing a rabbit punch. What is that? What was the referee thinking?

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