John Ruiz, a former world heavyweight champion, has weighed in on the age-old debate between two boxing legends. Ruiz picked Evander Holyfield as the better fighter when compared to Roy Jones Jr.
Ruiz, who held the WBA heavyweight title twice between 2001 and 2005, shared his thoughts in a recent interview with Ring Magazine. He's in a unique position to make this call, having fought both men during his career.
Holyfield and Jones are two of boxing's biggest names from the past 30 years. Both racked up impressive achievements throughout their careers. Holyfield became the undisputed champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight, beating the likes of Mike Tyson, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes. Jones, on the other hand, won world titles in four weight classes from middleweight to heavyweight.
Ruiz and Holyfield shared the ring three times, with each fight telling a different story. In August 2000, Holyfield won by unanimous decision. Seven months later, Ruiz turned the tables and grabbed the WBA belt with a points victory. Their third bout in December 2001 ended in a split decision draw.
When it comes to Jones, Ruiz's experience was brief but significant. Jones stepped up to heavyweight and dethroned Ruiz, winning by unanimous decision.
Despite losing his title to Jones, Ruiz felt Holyfield was the tougher opponent. He explained his reasoning to Ring Magazine:
"He had the big name and always went to war. He brought everything but the kitchen sink into the ring to use. He knew how to win and did everything to win."
This high praise from Ruiz adds weight to Holyfield's recent claim that he believes he's the greatest of all time. While that's a debate for another day, Ruiz's firsthand experience certainly puts Holyfield ahead of Jones in his book.
Boxing fans will continue to argue about who was better between Holyfield and Jones. But for John Ruiz, who felt the power of both men's punches, the answer is clear: Evander Holyfield stands tall as the best fighter he ever faced.
