LAS VEGAS (August 22, 2008) – Two-time World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz (43-7-1, 29 KOs) broke Las Vegas training camp today and he departed for Germany in quest of his third world title. Ruiz is traveling with his advisor and attorney, Tony Cardinale, and head trainer, Manny Siaca, Sr..
The WBA vacated the title due to an injury to Ruslan Chagaev, declaring him “champion in recess,” and ruled that the top two rated contenders fight for the title. Ruiz, rated No. 2 by the WBA, takes on the No. 1 contender, 7-0, 320-pound Nikolai Valuev (48-1, 34 KOs), who won a controversial 12-round split decision 2 ½ years ago against defending champion Ruiz, on August 30 in Berlin for the WBA crown.
Ruiz also lost a majority decision to Chagaev in Germany. “I believe the third time will be the charm – my first win fighting for the third time in Germany – and I’ll bring home my third world championship belt,” Ruiz said before he left. “I heard that Valuev has been swimming to train for our fight. Good. He’s going to need that because I’m taking him into deep water before knocking the giant out. Timber! The deeper the fight, the deeper the water’s going to be for him. I know what I can do to him. I beat him the first time but they gave him the decision.
“Everything about training camp was good. I worked very hard to get ready for this fight. I’ve been working on a lot of stuff with Manny like more balanced punching and a few new moves. When we get into the ring I want him to be thinking about what he’s going to do with me. He’s not going to fight the same guy he did the first time. You can’t let him stand there or he’ll throw punches all night long. I’m going to take the fight to him and make him move around. I’m going to stay on him, surround him, and show him different angles and more combination punching.”
The Puerto Rican-American Ruiz is the first and only Latino heavyweight champion of the world. He has fought in 10 world championship fights and defeated three world heavyweight champions — Evander Holyfield, Hasim Rahman and Tony Tucker – in addition to beating top contenders such as Andrew Golota, Fres Oquendo, Kirk Johnson and Jameel McCline during his 15-year pro career.
Ndou to Mundine: “I’ll Beat You At Middleweight”
(Sydney, Australia: 21st August 2008) – Lovemore “Black Panther” Ndou has a message for Anthony Mundine. If Mundine wants to move down in weight to middleweight, Ndou is ready to give him a real challenge in the boxing ring. 37 year-old Ndou who is originally from South Africa and now lives in Sydney, is a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) world champion at super lightweight and now ranked No.2 at welterweight by the IBF.
“I was watching Mundine’s fight with Crazy Kim and said to myself, ‘I can beat him,’” said Ndou. “Mundine got knocked down and Kim is not on the same level as a fighter as me.”
Now campaigning at welterweight, Ndou says he is prepared to move up two weight classes to face Mundine, a two-time WBA super middleweight world champion.
“If Mundine makes the middleweight limit, I will beat him,” promised Ndou. “I am not fighting him above 160lbs (72.58kg). He has to make middleweight. Anthony says he wants to move down to middleweight and win a world title, well there should be no reason why he can’t fight me. I promise the boxing fans it will be a real fight. Not some mismatch. This is the match the fans want to see.”
Ndou is not concerned that he would be fighting a much taller and bigger boxer.
“It is not the size of the boxer, but the talent that matters,” Ndou explained. “Roy Jones Jr went up from light heavyweight to heavyweight and beat the much bigger John Ruiz. Bernard Hopkins moved straight up to light heavyweight from middleweight and won the world title. I know I can do this. Mundine calls himself the ‘Black Superman’. Well, this ‘Black Panther’ is going to tear him up!”