Ruiz Manager Stone Says "The Quiet Man" Deserves a Shot at Lewis

02.07 – Wladimir Klitschko and his team called out Lennox Lewis immediately following the World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight champion’s easy sixth-round knockout over Ray Mercer the other night in Atlantic City.

Emanuel Steward, who trains the World Boxing Council/International Boxing Federation (WBC/IBF) champion, and is part of the HBO broadcasting team that worked the one-sided Klitschko-Mercer fight, said that Klitschko had earned the right to perhaps meet Lewis next, and also mentioned Kirk Johnson as another possibility.

Norman “Stoney” Stone, the straight-shooting, fast-talking manager of World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz, says that if anybody should get the next shot at Lewis it is his man.

“By now, I should be used to Johnny getting slighted, but what I saw and heard the other night was so ridiculous, it was not even funny,” Stone said. “Honestly, I just don’t get it. Klitschko beat up a 41-year-old man who stood right in front of him and threw maybe one right hand, and I am supposed to be impressed by that. If it is Johnny in there, they say he beat up a washed up, old man and that is that.

“I know Lewis wants to fight an undefeated guy, but after Johnny kicks Johnson’s butt July 27 at the Mandalay Bay, he will not be undefeated any more. Emanuel says Johnny won his title in court. Well, if anybody won the title in court, it is his guy, Lewis, who did it twice.

“Wladimir Klitschko is a decent young fighter, but he quit in his one loss -- against a football player – no less. The other Klitschko brother (Vitali) quit when he lost to Chris Byrd. Once a quitter, always a quitter. Say anything you want about Johnny, but he is not a quitter. He has the biggest heart in boxing.

“Lewis is just doing to us what he did before – and that is duck us. When we were No. 1 and Michael Grant was No. 2, Lewis knew he had a pork chop and went for Grant. Grant’s people knew what they had, too, and cashed in. Meantime, we fight 36 grueling rounds with Evander Holyfield, who was at his best until he fight John. Who else can say that?

“No way Lewis should fight anyone before us. Just like there is no way he should go around calling himself undisputed champion. Hey, we dispute him. Johnny is the champion of the WBA, the oldest of all the organizations. Let’s put Lewis and Johnny together and then we can see who the real champ is. There is absolutely no question in my mind that Johnny deserves to get the first shot at Lewis before anybody.’’