30 Years Ago Today: The Chilling David Tua – John Ruiz Knockout

Back during the 1990s, the heavyweight division really did deliver some quite memorable, chaotic, even disturbing knockouts. Think back and remember the carnage that was – Ray Mercer KO Tommy Morrison, Razor Ruddock KO Michael Dokes, and Michael Moorer KO Bert Cooper (a genuinely two-sided thriller if ever there was one).

But another chilling heavyweight ice job took place during the decade, 30 years ago today, in fact.

On March 15, 1996, when a young and unbeaten Samoan heavyweight prospect named David Tua burst onto the world stage in frighteningly exciting fashion, the boxing world was put on notice. Tua, just 23 years of age and built like a bank safe, met the taller and slightly older John Ruiz, this on a card dubbed “The Night Of The Young Heavyweights.”

What went down, aside from the thoroughly unprepared Ruiz, was one sizzling display of power, accuracy, and sheer killer instinct.

Tua, who had won a bronze medal at the ’92 Olympics and was now guided by ultimate cheerleader Lou Duva, came out blazing, and his lethal hooks to the head and jaw sent Ruiz’s skull spinning. It was over in a blur, with Ruiz left on his back, his eyes closed, the stricken fighter needing medical assistance. Ruiz – who recovered and went on to punch out a fine career that saw him win a version of the world heavyweight title – would not be stopped again for 14 years.

On the night of March 15, 1996, Tua, with his Mike Tyson/Rocky Marciano-like performance, seemed set for world domination. Ruiz would not have had too many backers. But the fight of 30 years ago is a classic example of how one fight, one result, does not, should not, define two fighters. Who knows what might have happened if Tua and Ruiz had fought a rematch? After the crushing loss, Ruiz became known as one heck of a stubborn fighter, a man who was as durable as a cockroach, according to one creative description. Ruiz was caught cold by Tua, and this can, of course, happen to any fighter, any heavyweight, especially.

Maybe Tua would have KO’d Ruiz a second time had a rematch taken place, maybe not. But the art of destruction Tua showed three decades ago remains a knockout of prominence, of celebration even. Fans continue to get a thrill from those 19 seconds as they re-watch Tua’s handiwork on YouTube.

David Tua was a born puncher, while he would go on to show how special his chin was, too. In fact, is it fair to say Tua ranks as one of the very best heavyweights never to have got his hands on even a version of the world heavyweight crown?

Maybe.

Certainly, 30 years ago today in his “coming out party,” Tua looked like an unstoppable force of nature.