Ben Pierce

11.09 - The latest rumor to hit the boxing press circles is that John Ruiz and Roy Jones Jr. will meet for the WBA Heavyweight Championship. Speculation has been rampant since Roy Jones made his intentions known to the world on HBO last Saturday evening after his victory over a game, but overmatched, Clinton Woods.

It is now reported that the deal is close to being finalized, all parties are in agreement and are meeting this evening. Excuse me if I wait for them to actually sign the contracts, but I have been fooled before in boxing. I tend to lean to old Yogi Berra statement...."it aint over till it is over", and this is not a fight until the contracts are signed.

Lets look at this fight from the stand point of John Ruiz. If this fight happens, what is he thinking? What does he stand to gain? If he beats Roy Jones he has simple beaten a blown up Light Heavyweight who should have never moved up to start with. Look at the history of the Light Heavyweights that have moved up, the true Light Heavyweights. It is not a pretty picture in many cases. A good big man, usually beats a good small man every time.

Unless Ruiz is getting an all time high pay check for this fight, what is his motivation? Even should Don King develop this into a Heavyweight tournament featuring the smaller guys in that division, what can Ruiz look forward to? Facing the always tough, Evander Holyfield again if he wins? That is not a scenario that Ruiz could look favorably upon. He has fought Holyfield three times and had all he could handle and more in those contests. Many think he lost two out of the three fights with Holyfield..

If not Holyfield, then he would face Chris Byrd should he win. Not many in the division want to get in the ring with this slick boxer, who has used movement and boxing skills to beat the likes of David Tua and Vitali Klitschko. Can Ruiz catch and beat two great boxers, in back to back fights, facing both Jones and Byrd? Not an easy task.

If Ruiz were to beat Roy Jones and then defeat either Holyfield or Byrd, he might gain some needed credibility, but still would not be recognized as the true Heavyweight champion of the world. There is a gentlemen out there by the name Lennox Lewis and he is developing a tournament of his own; with three fights planned against arguably the three best known, best qualified contenders in the division. I will not argue that Tyson is anywhere near his prime, but many consider the Klitschko brothers to be two of the top contenders in the division. They do have a legitimate chance of dethroning Lennox Lewis.

But back to John Ruiz and Roy Jones Jr.. I can see the motivation of Roy Jones. He wants to be one of the select Light Heavyweights to move up and win the Heavyweight crown. He wants to be the only boxer who started at Middleweight to accomplish this feat.

He is looking at a stellar pay day against a foe which he is clearly feels he can outbox. None of his current world titles would be on the line. Should he win he would also have a legitimate chance against either an aging Holyfield or Chris Bryd, whom he could match boxing skills against well.

Also should Jones lose, he is still applauded for his effort and for attempting to take his career to yet another level. A loss at Heavyweight in no way hurts the great legacy that Jones has built in boxing. He is in a win-win situation.

Although I fail to see how this fight helps John Ruiz and can only benefit Roy Jones Jr., lets hope the fight is made. If nothing else, it will provide some thrills in the Heavyweight division.

But I still feel the real deal is Lennox Lewis and the foes he is looking to face. There is where the future of the Heavyweight division lies.

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