James Toney responds to John Ruiz’ steriod release

25.10.05 – By James Toney: “I’ve kept my mouth shut as it relates to responding to the continual and annoying accusations, grandstanding and somewhat disingenuous comments made by either John Ruiz or one of his mouthpieces.

However, enough is enough. Most real fighters do their talking with their fists and not their mouths…remember I said real fighters. Ruiz has done nothing but cry since being handed his WBA belt back. If he was a real man, a real fighter, he would have tried to get me back into the ring to show everyone that James Toney could not have kicked his ass if my test didn’t show up positive. But he knows what I stated as the cause of my positive test was the TRUTH….prescribed medication used to reduce inflammation in my recent bicep/triceps surgery. If this wasn’t the case, and he actually believed that I was using performance enhancing drugs to beat him, I can only think he would want this overblown middleweight, with the world watching his next drug test, to get back into the ring with him immediately so he could manhandle me as he said he could have done without the positive test..

Let it be said now, John Ruiz would rather go out of the country to fight, then to ever think of having to be in a ring with me again. He knows I beat him with one arm (my good one); the other arm was still recuperating from the 2004 career threatening surgery. I’m tired of hearing his continual babble and grandstanding.

The New York State Athletic Commission was given the reason why my test was positive. I believe they understood the difference of medications used for recovery purposes and those intended to enhance your performance. You didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to see I was not the poster boy for steroid use.

Unfortunately, for the Commission and the WBA, their rules do not have the ability to separate the circumstances, no matter how valid they may have been.

The analogy is somewhat similar to a speeding driver who is pulled over by a policemen for going 80 mph in a 55 mph zone, but approaching the vehicle the policemen realizes the driver’s wife is delivering a baby in the back seat. Now the simple act of speeding is illegal, however in this case, despite the rules and regulations of the appropriate State, the policeman now will make a determination in either giving a speeding ticket to the driver or to give him an 80 mph police escort to the hospital. The Commission didn’t have the luxury in my case to make a similar determination based upon circumstances; hence the suspension.

These are the changes needed within the Commission and the WBA and anyone else the Ruiz team so designates as a future target of inadequacy.

However, like any other court of law, or system that takes into account the “possibility” of extenuating circumstances, which was the only reason I didn’t fight the suspension since the rules didn’t address taking prescribed medication solely for rehabilitation of my surgically repaired arm, the rules governing boxing should mirror the above referenced legal system. The Ruiz camp has taken the position of grandstanding in an area where deflection can only last so long—or at least until his next grabfest known as one of his fights.

Ruiz states, “Other sports have addressed steroid problems…” in his latest statement. Is he kidding? One of the top players in baseball received a paltry 10-day suspension for his use of steroids. Give me a break John, and go back to being the “Quiteman.” Get off your high horse and fight like a man. Stop talking and whining about getting your butt kicked. I was fat, out of shape and fighting with one arm and kicked your ass—face up to it; Schwarzenegger I wasn’t.

For my final and last comment on this subject, I say to the Commissions and the organizations that you’ve done a great job of protecting and when need be, penalizing the fighters. Keep it up.

Light’s Out.

James Toney