Roy Jones Jr vs John Ruiz

On March 1, 2003, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Roy Jones Jr. made boxing history by challenging John Ruiz for the WBA World Heavyweight Title. Promoted by Don King Productions, the event attracted a crowd of 15,300 spectators and was broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View, generating 602,000 buys, surpassing earlier reports of 525,000. Already an accomplished multi-division champion, Jones entered the fight as a 9-5 favorite, weighing 193 pounds against Ruiz’s 226 pounds.

Ruiz, defending his title for the third time, faced a formidable opponent in Jones, who sought to become the first former world middleweight champion since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897 to claim a heavyweight title. The financial stakes were high, with Jones guaranteed $10 million plus 60% of the profits, while Ruiz received 40%, which he had to share with his promoter, Don King.

The fight unfolded with Jones demonstrating his trademark speed, agility, and ring IQ, which proved too much for Ruiz’s more straightforward and physically imposing style. Jones landed 134 of 424 punches (32%), compared to Ruiz’s 89 of 433 (21%). Despite giving up 33 pounds, Jones’ ability to evade Ruiz’s offence and counter with precision punches dictated the rhythm of the fight.

Referee Jay Nady oversaw a clean contest, with the judges scoring the bout decisively in Jones’ favour. Stanley Christodoulou scored 118-110, Jerry Roth 116-112, and Duane Ford 117-111. The result crowned Jones the new WBA World Heavyweight Champion, making him the seventh boxer in history to win world titles in four weight divisions.

Jones’s victory earned recognition as The Ring Event of the Year 2003. However, his reign as heavyweight champion was short-lived. He never defended the WBA title; instead, he relinquished it and returned to the light heavyweight division. This remarkable achievement solidified Jones’ legacy, with his performance against Ruiz standing as a milestone in boxing history.