08-20-2002, 09:26 AM
Quote:August 19, 2002
NEW YORK (AP) -- Heavyweight champion John Ruiz sued Don King on Monday, saying the promoter was blocking a bout with former champion Mike Tyson that would be the most lucrative fight of his career.
The lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan alleged that King had refused to let Ruiz fight Tyson until Tyson dropped a $100 million lawsuit he had filed against King in the same court. King had countersued Tyson as well.
Ruiz, the World Boxing Association heavyweight champion, said in the lawsuit that King told Ruiz and a lawyer last Tuesday that they were ``traitors'' if they did not let King use the leverage of a Tyson-Ruiz fight to get Tyson to drop his lawsuit.
A lawyer for King did not immediately return a telephone message for comment.
The lawsuit said a Tyson-Ruiz matchup would be the 30-year-old boxer's highest profile bout to date and by far his most lucrative. Ruiz, from Chelsea, Mass., is 38-4-1, with 27 knockouts.
``Tyson has a proven, indeed unique, ability to generate box office interest, and thereby revenues,'' the lawsuit said, adding that Ruiz would likely earn more than $10 million.
The lawsuit came a day after King told The Boston Globe that he would agree to let Ruiz fight Tyson without demanding that Tyson settle his lawsuit against King first.
Quick re-cap.
John Ruiz who was humiliated in a 19 second knock out loss in the 1st round to david tua a few years ago. Was the WBA manditory challanger to Lennox Lewis's crown after the 2nd holyfield fight, which lewis won to unify the 3 major titles (WBA, WBC, IBF)
The WBA in turn stripped lewis of the title when he refused to fight ruiz cause he was basically a chump, he in turn fought the best contendor out there which was David Tua.
The wba's #1 and #2 contendors who were Ruiz and Holyfield fought for the title, in a controversial decision Holyfield won. Ruiz won the remtach and then in the 3rd fight fought to a draw. Ruiz is still a "title holder" and technically a heavyweight champion since he holds a major title.
Ruiz showed a lot of heart and a good chin against Kirk Johnson who everyone picked to beat him. Johnson got DQ'ed for low blows in the fight but Ruiz was winning anyway and almost knocked Johnson out.
Ruiz has heart but Johnson and Holyfield are his biggest claims to fame. Yet he couldn't do much against a 40 year old holyfield and johnson practically folded anyway but he showed more skill.
Tyson no matter how washed up can still beat the likes of Ruiz, who is nowhere near lennox lewis's calliber of a fighter. Ruiz is not big at all, has little power and not much defense. Tyson could well wind up a heavyweight champ for the 3rd time, who knows?
The best scenario would be, tyson winning the wba title and setting up the fight every true boxing fan wants to see. David Tua Vs. Mike Tyson, to mirror images, two trains colliding full speed ahead. Two very short, power punchers. It would be an amazing fight, mark my words.