Jones still laying low

Dean Juipe

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003 | 9:58 a.m.

With Roy Jones Jr. virtually in seclusion, World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John Ruiz has taken it upon himself to do the bulk of the promotional work for their fight Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

But it's not a role that Ruiz is accepting without complaint.

"I'm very disappointed that he's not acting like a champion," he said Wednesday at the final prefight press conference at Caesars Palace. "He loves to talk and promote himself, so I wonder why he's not doing these things."

Ruiz talked nonstop for a full hour before a rotating group of reporters, with Jones failing to arrive at the press conference until the last minute. Over and over, Ruiz was asked about the one-man act that has been thrust upon him.

"I can't figure him out," he said. "It's pretty strange to me, pretty weird.

"I fight and I answer people's questions (but) he won't go the extra mile. I just hope he shows up Saturday."

Jones wasn't completely incommunicado, but he has kept to himself and kept his workout sessions closed.

"I'm reaching for the sky," he said of attempting to become the first light heavyweight champion to win a heavyweight title since Michael Spinks upset Larry Holmes in 1985. He's also attempting to become the first former middleweight champion to win a heavyweight title since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897.

Jones, 34, is 47-1 with 38 knockouts and has worked his way up from 160 pounds to something approximating 192 for this fight.

"It's not an easy thing to accomplish," he said of giving away some 30 pounds in a fight of this magnitude. "There's a lot of doubt that I can do it. But that's what's helped me prepare mentally."

While Ruiz is, in some quarters, held in only moderate esteem, Jones sees him for what he is.

"He's got the belt," Jones said. "As far as I'm concerned, he's a heavyweight champion."

But Ruiz is a champion who is feeling somewhat neglected, not only because of Jones' uncooperative nature in this promotion but because he says the other leading heavyweights are avoiding him.

"What else is left for me?" he said when asked to elaborate on a remark he had made about perhaps retiring fairly soon. "Here I am fighting a light heavyweight.

"It's a little discouraging, actually."

A fight with International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Chris Byrd may await the winner of Saturday's bout, and Byrd -- who was at Caesars and was far more accessible than Jones -- is certainly willing.

"That could happen but we're not sure yet," Ruiz.

A fight with the third heavyweight champion, World Boxing Council champ Lennox Lewis, seems highly unlikely for Ruiz.

"We've tried so hard to get a fight with Lewis," he said. "The problem is that they say I don't bring the money but I do bring an excellent fight."

Ruiz, 31, is 38-4-1 with 27 KOs and is best known for his three-part series of fights with Evander Holyfield. Ruiz lost the opener of that trilogy by decision, won the rematch by decision and settled for a draw in the finale.

He has since beaten Kirk Johnson by 10th-round disqualification with the WBA title at stake.

But neither Holyfield nor Johnson nor anyone else Ruiz has faced will have the type of quickness that Jones routinely demonstrates.

"The main thing for me is to cut off the ring on him," Ruiz said. "He loves to run, but I can't let him.

"We have to put him in a position where he has to fight. I can't let him run all over the ring."

Bettors see the bout going its 12-round distance, as the "will go" proposition bet is a minus 150 at Caesars. The "won't go" is a plus 110.

Jones remains the betting favorite at a minus 190. Ruiz is a plus 160.

"I'm the one taking a chance on this fight," Ruiz said. "It's a big fight for me and the fans because it has some mystery to it, but I'm also the one who has to hear all the negative things.

"If I don't win, my career is in serious trouble."

Alton Merkerson, who trains Jones and has been more talkative than his fighter, says Ruiz will find himself in that troublesome position.

"Whatever Ruiz brings to the table I don't think will be a problem for us," he said. "Roy has been eating three solid meals a day and he hasn't lost any speed.

"Ruiz is determined and well-conditioned and he usually weathers the storm, but speed is power and speed is going to be the main factor.

"Ruiz is a good, stand-up heavyweight who beat Holyfield, but there's no doubt that Roy is going to win."

Of course Ruiz's people feel the same about their man.

"A lot of people underestimate Johnny," said Ruiz's manager, Norman Stone. "We went into the Holyfield fights like we were a rag doll that was going to get knocked out, and Johnny proved people wrong. Against Johnson, some people thought we'd lose that one, too, but Johnny put so much pressure on him that Johnson quit and was gutless."

Trainer Gabe LaMarca is confident as well.

"I don't underestimate Jones but we're not concerned," he said. "Johnny's got enough speed and he's got stamina. I think Jones is the one who should be worried."

But if Jones is worried he's not saying so, although his trainer believes taking a shot at the heavyweight championship comes with a risk.

"I'm just an employee, but I don't think Roy should continue fighting heavyweights," Merkerson said, as if this single fling with history might be enough to satisfy this former light heavyweight champion.