Holyfield, Ruiz try to sell heavyweight title fight

Tim Dahlberg

Thursday, Aug. 10, 2000 | 9:30 a.m.

LAS VEGAS - Evander Holyfield doesn't question the validity of the title or the quality of his opponent for Saturday's fight against John Ruiz.

Just the fact a portion of the heavyweight title will again be at stake is enough to motivate the aging former champion.

"It was said I'm taking John Ruiz for granted, but I've been in that position before," Holyfield said at Wednesday's final prefight press conference. "I'm not going to let that happen to me."

Holyfield is a 4-1 favorite to win the vacated WBA piece of the heavyweight title when he meets the little known Ruiz for the crown Lennox Lewis lost because of a court ruling.

Though others may question whether the winner deserves to be mentioned as a heavyweight champion in the same breath as Lennox Lewis, Holyfield and Ruiz are not among them.

"I feel I'm the legitimate No. 1 contender," Ruiz said.

"I wouldn't be taking a risk with this young guy if it wasn't for the title," Holyfield added.

Holyfield and Ruiz will meet for the WBA portion of the title that was stripped from Lewis when he defended against Michael Grant instead of meeting Ruiz, the WBA's No. 1 contender. Lewis still holds the WBC and IBF titles.

Holyfield comes into the fight after a disputed draw and then a loss to Lewis, hardly the credentials to claim he is the best heavyweight in the world.

And Ruiz, despite a 36-3 record, is regarded more of a journeyman fighter who has yet to fight any top names.

"They have trashed this fight and said it shouldn't happen," promoter Don King admitted.

King spent much of the three-hour news conference trying to legitimize the fight, which is scheduled for 12 rounds and will be televised on the Showtime network from the Paris hotel-casino.

Holyfield repeated his contention that he beat Lewis in their second fight, and said he was still fighting at the age of 37 not for the $5 million purse, but for another shot at the undisputed heavyweight title.

"I want to retire as the undisputed champion," Holyfield said.

To do so, he plans to win the WBC title against Ruiz, then chase either a third fight with Lewis or fight David Tua, if he beats Lewis in their November fight.

Both Tua and Lewis loom over this fight, but for different reasons.

Lewis, of course, beat Holyfield and was the undisputed champion until a federal judge ruled that he be stripped of the WBA title. Tua has the distinction of stopping Ruiz 19 seconds into their fight in March 1996.

"I think about that all the time," Ruiz said. "It burns in the back of my mind. It keeps me focused."

Ruiz, 28, has not lost since that fight, winning 11 straight, but against opponents of questionable caliber.