John Ruiz vs. Evander Holyfield III

Last updated
John Ruiz vs. Evander Holyfield III
Ruiz vs Holyfield 3.jpg
DateDecember 15, 2001
Venue Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut
Title(s) on the line WBA heavyweight title
Tale of the tape
Boxer Flag of the United States.svg John Ruiz Flag of the United States.svg Evander Holyfield
Nickname "The Quietman" "The Real Deal"
Hometown Chelsea, Massachusetts Atlanta, Georgia
Pre-fight record 37–4 (27 KO) 37–5–1 (25 KO)
Age 29 years, 11 months 39 years, 1 month
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)6 ft 2+12 in (189 cm)
Weight 232 lb (105 kg) 219 lb (99 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition WBA
heavyweight champion
WBA
No. 2 Ranked Heavyweight
2-division undisputed world champion
Result
Split draw (115-113 Ruiz, 114-114 draw, 116-112 Holyfield)

John Ruiz vs. Evander Holyfield III was a professional boxing match contested on December 15, 2001 for the WBA heavyweight championship. [1] The fight ended in a split draw, a result that meant Ruiz retained his WBA title.

Contents

Background

Holyfield won the WBA belt in August 2000, narrowly defeating Ruiz in controversial circumstances leading to the WBA mandating an immediate rematch. By the time the two met again in March 2001, promoter Don King had sold Holyfield's subsequent defence to Chinese company Great Wall Promotions. However, Ruiz upset the champion, flooring Holyfield in the 11th round on his way to a unanimous decision. King then announced that the trilogy would be concluded in Beijing in the summer.

The Chinese government, persuaded that staging a major sporting event before a massive global audience would enhance their bid for the 2008 Olympics, initially gave its backing to the proposal, on the understanding that the fight would take place in June.

With Ruiz unavailable for the June date, the bout was rescheduled for August 5. But by then Beijing had secured the Olympics and the enthusiasm of the Chinese government cooled. By late July both the Ruiz and Holyfield camps had arrived in Beijing but the "Brawl at the Wall" was abruptly "postponed" when Ruiz sustained a neck injury in training.

The fight was rescheduled for November 24 but that was before HBO withdrew its support citing new state department travel guidelines following the September 11 attacks, declined to send a 100 crew to a country bordering Afghanistan and pulled out of the deal

The Chinese pressed ahead with the fight despite difficulties in raising sponsorship money, and King could not even search for an alternative venue until mid-October, when the Chinese officially defaulted by failing to produce a letter of credit.

King finally secured Foxwoods and Ruiz agreed to take a $500,000 reduction in his scheduled $3.7m purse in return for a larger proportion of the live gate. Foxwoods, located less than two hours' drive from Ruiz's hometown, sold out the first day it put tickets on sale. [2]

Holyfield was hoping to make history by capturing a heavyweight world title for a unprecedented fifth time.

The fight

There were no knockdowns in the fight, but Holyfield was the aggressor and landed many more clean shots than the champion Ruiz. Judge Julie Lederman of New York scored it 116–112 for Holyfield, giving him the last five rounds. Judge Donald O'Neill of Florida also gave the last round to Holyfield, but scored it 115–113 for Ruiz, while Judge Tom Kaczmarek of New Jersey scored it 114–114, which enabled Ruiz to retain the title with a split decision draw. [3] After the decision was announced, there was shock in Holyfield's corner, celebration in Ruiz's camp, and a lot of booing in the arena.

Aftermath

Ruiz made a mandatory defense against Kirk Johnson before losing the title in unanimous decision defeat to Roy Jones Jr. in March 2003 almost exactly two years after he first won the title.

Holyfield then met the former WBC and IBF heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman in a WBA heavyweight title "eliminator" match with the winner to earn a shot at the WBA title. Holyfield picked up the victory by referee technical decision, but rather than face Ruiz for the WBA title for a fourth time, agreed to face Chris Byrd for the vacant IBF title but lost a lopsided unanimous decision.

Undercard

Confirmed bouts: [4]

WinnerLoserWeight division/title belt(s) disputedResult
Flag of the United States.svg Tim Austin Flag of Thailand.svg Chaiya Pothang IBF World bantamweight titleUnanimous Decision.
Non-TV bouts
Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Martin Flag of the United States.svg Craig TomlinsonHeavyweight (10 rounds)9th round KO.
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Danny Williams Flag of the United States.svg Shawn RobinsonHeavyweight (8 rounds)2nd round TKO.
Flag of the United States.svg Nate Jones Flag of the United States.svg Drexie JamesHeavyweight (8 rounds)4th round TKO.
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Alberto de Jesus Trinidad Flag of the United States.svg Roger GloverLightweight (4 rounds)Majority Decision.

Broadcasting

CountryBroadcaster
Flag of the United States.svg  United States HBO

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ruiz</span> American boxer

John Ruiz is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2010, and held the WBA heavyweight title twice between 2001 and 2005. Ruiz is of Puerto Rican descent, and is the first Latino boxer to win a world heavyweight title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield</span> American boxer (born 1962)

Evander Holyfield is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2011. He reigned as the undisputed champion at cruiserweight in the late 1980s and at heavyweight in the early 1990s, and is the only boxer in history to win the undisputed championship in two weight classes in the three belt era. Nicknamed "the Real Deal", Holyfield is the only four-time world heavyweight champion, having held the unified WBA, WBC, and IBF titles from 1990 to 1992, the WBA and IBF titles again from 1993 to 1994, the WBA title a third time from 1996 to 1999; the IBF title a third time from 1997 to 1999 and the WBA title for a fourth time from 2000 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hasim Rahman</span> American boxer

Hasim Sharif Rahman is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1994 to 2014. He is a two-time world heavyweight champion, having held the unified WBC, IBF, IBO and lineal titles in 2001; and the WBC title again from 2005 to 2006. He was ranked as a top 10 heavyweight by BoxRec from 2000 to 2007, and reached his highest ranking of world No.6 in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Toney</span> American boxer (born 1968)

James Nathaniel Toney is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2017. He held multiple world championships in three weight classes, including the IBF and lineal middleweight titles from 1991 to 1993, the IBF super middleweight title from 1993 to 1994, and the IBF cruiserweight title in 2003. Toney also challenged twice for a world heavyweight title in 2005 and 2006, and was victorious the first time but was later stripped due to a failed drug test. Overall, he competed in fifteen world title fights across four weight classes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francois Botha</span> South African boxer

FrancoisBotha is a South African former professional boxer and kickboxer. He competed in boxing from 1990 to 2014, and is perhaps best known for winning the IBF heavyweight title against Axel Schulz in 1995, but was later stripped after failing a drug test. He later challenged twice for world heavyweight titles in 2000 and 2002. Botha has competed against former Heavyweight Champions Mike Tyson, Wladimir Klitschko, Lennox Lewis, Michael Moorer and Evander Holyfield late in their respective careers. Botha participated once in mixed martial arts in 2004.

As in the 1980s, the 1990s in boxing's popularity focused on all divisions. When 1980s legends Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, as well as others retired, newer superstars filled the void: Pernell Whitaker, Julio César Chávez, in the early 1990s, Oscar De La Hoya, Félix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the mid to late 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Moorer</span> Boxing competition

Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Moorer was a professional boxing match contested on April 22, 1994, for the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis</span> Boxing competition

Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis, billed as Undisputed, was a professional boxing match contested on March 13, 1999 for the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis II</span> Boxing competition

Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis II, was a professional boxing match contested on November 13, 1999 for the WBA, WBC, IBF, and vacant IBO undisputed heavyweight championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield vs. Vaughn Bean</span> Boxing competition

Evander Holyfield vs. Vaughn Bean, billed as "The Power and the Glory", was a professional boxing match contested on September 19, 1998 for the WBA and IBF heavyweight championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Byrd vs. Evander Holyfield</span> Boxing competition

Chris Byrd vs. Evander Holyfield was a professional boxing match contested on December 14, 2002 for the vacant IBF heavyweight championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ruiz vs. Roy Jones Jr.</span> Boxing competition

John Ruiz vs. Roy Jones Jr., billed as Never Take A Heavyweight Lightly, was a professional boxing match contested on March 1, 2003 for the WBA heavyweight championship. The fight took place at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV in Paradise, Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikolai Valuev vs. Evander Holyfield</span> Boxing competition

Nikolai Valuev vs. Evander Holyfield was a professional boxing match contested on December 20, 2008 for the WBA heavyweight championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield vs. John Ruiz</span> Boxing competition

Evander Holyfield vs. John Ruiz, billed as Justice, was a professional boxing match contested on August 12, 2000 for the vacant WBA heavyweight championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield vs. John Ruiz II</span> Boxing competition

Evander Holyfield vs. John Ruiz II, billed as The Last Word, was a professional boxing match contested on March 3, 2001 for the WBA heavyweight championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwight Muhammad Qawi vs. Evander Holyfield</span> Boxing competition

Dwight Muhammad Qawi vs. Evander Holyfield, billed as "Pandemonium" was a professional boxing match contested on July 12, 1986 for the WBA Junior Heavyweight championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ruiz vs. James Toney</span> Boxing competition

John Ruiz vs. James Toney was a professional boxing match contested on April 30, 2005, for the WBA heavyweight championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield vs. Hasim Rahman</span>

Evander Holyfield vs. Hasim Rahman, billed as "The Royal Comeback", was a professional boxing match contested on June 1, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evander Holyfield vs. James Toney</span> 2003 boxing match

Evander Holyfield vs. James Toney, billed as "The War on October 4", was a professional boxing match contested on October 4, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ruiz vs. Andrew Golota</span> Boxing event

John Ruiz vs. Andrew Golota, billed as Struggle For Supremacy (Night of the Heavyweights), was a professional boxing match contested on November 13, 2004, for the WBA Heavyweight championship.

References

  1. "John Ruiz vs. Evander Holyfield (3rd meeting) - BoxRec".
  2. Kimball, George (14 December 2001). "At last, the trilogy begins its final chapter" via The Guardian.
  3. "Ruiz-Holyfield III a Draw". Associated Press. 16 December 2001 via LA Times.
  4. "BoxRec - event".
Preceded by John Ruiz's bouts
December 15, 2001
Succeeded by
Evander Holyfield's bouts
December 15, 2001
Succeeded by