Worthless win for Jones

So Roy Jones, Jr. beat John Ruiz to become the second reigning world lightheavyweight boxing champion ever to annex the heavyweight crown in Las Vegas last Saturday night (Sunday morning, Manila). Michael Spinks did it, too, in 1985–beating a 35-year-old Larry Holmes.

No big deal. Jones defeated a bum whose only claim to fame was flooring a faded Evander Holyfield with a right cross in one of their three 12-round bouts. Incidentally, Ruiz beat Holyfield just once in those three fights. Ruiz is a classic example of a brainless fighter–all brawn with absolutely nothing in between his ears. He wouldn’t stand a chance against Lennox Lewis.

Ruiz put his World Boxing Association (WBA) title on the line against Jones. In case you’ve forgotten, the WBA is the organization that recognizes a super champion aside from a regular champion. If that doesn’t make sense to you, don’t lose sleep over it. The business of pro boxing is thoroughly convoluted. Proof? After Jones’ weekend victory, there are now five world heavyweight champions claiming a piece of the pie.

The World Boxing Council (WBC) recognizes Lewis as the heavyweight champion. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) titlist is Chris Byrd while Wladimir Klitschko is the World Boxing Organization (WBO) ruler and Brian Nielsen, the Intercontinental Boxing Council (IBC) king. Confusing? It’s meant to be. The adage is the more, the merrier–the more titles, the more title fights, the more title purses, the more money to go around. Never mind the integrity of the sport. Pro boxing is, first and foremost, a business where money makes all the difference.

Ruiz outpointed Holyfield to wrest the WBA crown in March 2001. Holyfield had previously beaten Ruiz, also on points. In a rubber match in December 2001, Ruiz and Holyfield fought to a disputed 12-round split draw. Holyfield should’ve regained the world title as 13 of 16 sportswriters at ringside scored it for the Real Deal on margins from two to seven points. Then, in his second defense last July, Ruiz repulsed Kirk Johnson on a 10th round disqualification. The Jones fight was Ruiz’ third defense.

Ruiz, 31, probably figured he’d never beat a Lewis or a Byrd or a Klistchko and the only way to pick up a big money purse was to take on someone like a Jones who, as a lightheavyweight, wouldn’t likely be able to hurt him.

Ruiz was the perfect foil for Jones. Oddsmakers obviously recognized Ruiz’ limitations and installed Jones a 9-5 favorite despite the Quiet Man’s glaring advantages in height and reach.

The win over Ruiz did nothing to enhance Jones’ reputation. Former lightheavyweight champion Archie Moore would’ve won the heavyweight title, too, if he faced Ruiz instead of Rocky Marciano and Floyd Patterson. And another ex-lightheavyweight king Bob Foster would’ve beaten Ruiz for sure. It was Foster’s misfortune to run into Joe Frazier who knocked him out in two rounds of their world heavyweight title bout.

The Jones-Ruiz fight was a boring duel whose outcome was a foregone conclusion. Ruiz was like a snorting bull with one hind foot pawing dust from the ground and the other, tied to a stake. He just didn’t know how to attack Jones. Late in the fourth round, Jones unloaded a combination that appeared to hurt Ruiz. From then on, Ruiz fought cautiously–he fought just to survive and avoid the humiliation of a heavyweight champion being knocked out by a lightheavyweight.

Jones exposed Ruiz for what he really is–a heartless patsy. Jones got into Ruiz’ mind and played with it from start to finish. Ruiz surely expected that Jones wouldn’t fight him flat-footed. He should’ve prepared to chase Jones down and cut the ring off. But as the fight wore on, it became clear that Ruiz was clueless as to how to handle the slippery stick-and-run artist.

Ruiz plodded and lumbered along, throwing telegraphed haymakers that had no chance of landing. Jones jabbed, crossed and hooked like he practiced on a punching bag. Ruiz was an easy target–he took up so much space in the ring. He showed no lateral movement, stood upright and advanced straight into Jones’ dizzying jabs.

Jones was a picture of composure. Like a matador, he picked his prey apart little by little with pinchers. The only thing Jones lacked was a sabre for the coup de grace. He let Ruiz off the hook after 12 rounds of punishment.

If Jones is as good as he says he is, why is he ducking WBO lightheavyweight titleholder Dariuz Michalczewski of Germany and IBF cruiserweight champion Vassiliy Jirov of Kazakhstan?

Michalczewski, 34, boasts a 47-0 record, with 37 KOs. He won the WBO title in 1994 and has so far made 23 successful title defenses. Jones couldn’t be considered the undisputed lightheavyweight champion unless he beats Michalczewski. Jones recently said he’d be stupid to fight Michalczewski in Germany. "You don’t know what the hell you’re going to have to deal with," he noted. "If the guy just survives 12 rounds, he wins. You gotta worry about the water and the food and a lot of other things." And you thought an undisputed world champion was indestructible. If Jones is scared of fighting in Germany, why doesn’t Murad Muhammad lure Michalczewski to a duel in the US?

Jirov, 28, is a southpaw who won the IBF cruiserweight title in 1999 and has compiled seven successful defenses. His record is 31-0, with 27 KOs. Jones wouldn’t have to bulk up to heavyweight to battle Jirov. But Jones knows better than to take on a dangerous opponent like Jirov. Jones won’t need to fight Jirov in Kazakhstan because Jirov now lives in the US. So why aren’t they headed for a collision? Simple. Jones would rather fight less dangerous opponents.

What about WBC, WBA, and IBF unified middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins? The Executioner has challenged Jones to a showdown but so far, no response. Hopkins, 38, sent Tito Trinidad to retirement in September 2001 and knocked out Carl Daniels last year to keep his three title belts. Hopkins wants to move up to lightheavyweight but Jones isn’t too excited about it.

Will Jones ever defend the WBA heavyweight title? He’ll probably relinquish it unless there are promoters willing to cough up big bucks for Jones to fight more heavyweight bums like Ruiz.

If Jones wants to be recognized as a true heavyweight champion, then he should fight the likes of Mike Tyson and Lewis. But Jones is too smart to risk life and limb in the ring. It would be suicidal for Jones to face either Tyson or Lewis.