Jones, Ruiz on BDSSP
by Doug Fischer (January 8, 2003)
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Yesterday on Fox Sports Net's Best Damn Sports Show Period light heavyweight champ Roy Jones Jr. and WBA heavyweight titlist John Ruiz along with surprise guest IBF heavyweight champ Chris Byrd, and promoter Don King, sat in studio with the BDSSP crew. Here's what they had to say:
* Jones on why he jumped to the heavyweight division: "The bigger question is why not? There is no one in the way. Bernard Hopkins lost his mind a long time ago. So, what do the fans want to see? They want to see a challenge and this is the perfect opportunity."
* Jones on a possible fight with Lennox Lewis: "Lennox Lewis is the heavyweight champion but undisputed, I don't know. It all depends on how I feel after this fight. I am just taking this opportunity (against Ruiz) to take the heavyweight title."
* On the downfall of fighting a much bigger Ruiz: "The obvious is taking a punch from a guy that much bigger than you. It doesn't feel too good. But it doesn't feel so good taking it from someone your own size either."
* Jones on why he decided to unite with Don King: "The finances obviously worked out. Don and I don't have a problem with each other...They (Don King) quickly understood that no one else wants to fight John Ruiz because he has an awkwardly style and is so powerful. It looks like they are beating him but he keeps winning."
* Ruiz on the lack of respect he has gotten: "You have Super Roy Jones, you have the Emperor Lennox Lewis and then you have me, Rodney Dangerfield. What is going on here?"
* Jones on a wager he made regarding his fight with Ruiz: "If I took the challenge to put my life on the line to fight a guy that no one wants to fight...Holyfield fought Mike Tyson twice, Lennox Lewis twice, Ruddick Bowe about three times and George Foreman once. The only ones to knock him down were Ruddick Bowe and Ruiz. Since I took the challenge I am going to put him (King) between a rock and a hard place. I feel like if I beat this man I deserve to cut Don's hair off his head."
