Ruiz–Golota Could Be The Real Deal

Andrew Golota has been in his fair share of wars in the ring, and whether he has it in him to endure another remains to be seen. Not that I expect his bout with John Ruiz to be one. Even with his limited ability, he should still have enough skill to batter the current WBA heavyweight world champion.

Having said that Ruiz is a wily character and will do his utmost to keep the Polish fighter off balance. If he is successful in doing so, he will eak out yet another uninspiring points victory. Ruiz does have boxing skill, but he just doesn’t have the x-factor and perhaps that, more than anything else, has prevented him from truly enjoying his reign as a world champion. Ruiz always looks beatable and certainly carries little credibility internationally.

His three fights against Evander Hollyfield hang over him like cheap lights over a second hand car dealership. We’re continually promised a great ride, reliable performance and impressive finish, but every time he pulls out of the garage something stalls. Given Golota’s style and ability to take blows, Ruiz could come of age in this one and eventually impress us. Whether he’s man enough to take on his bigger rival in a toe-to-toe exchange is unlikely, but that would get the hearts pounding and would garner some support for “the quiet man.”

He needs to break out of the time warp he somehow lures his opponents into and put on a real show. The fact that their fight enjoys precedence over what looks to be an exciting bill on paper must serve as an inspiration to both champion and challenger in what could be a precursor to unification with the real champion of the division, Vitali Klitschko. A Golota win would create what could be a classic match between two big men. Ruiz, on the other hand, would need to stop his challenger to solicit any interest in a Ruiz – Klitschko match.

As for the rest of Don King’s heavyweight bill, which at one time was promised to be staged in South Africa by the man himself, there is promise of a good nights boxing. This is, after all, a showcase of heavyweight talent and is sure to expose whether the likes of Holyfield, Rahman and even Ruiz still have futures in the sport or whether they will be ushered along to the has-been aisle.