Round by Round: Valuev -vs- Ruiz

By B. "The Hype" Thompson

17/12/2005

Round by Round: Valuev -vs- Ruiz

Prefight
Wow. Valuev looks like a giant...the question is, does he fight like one? Ruiz might have a tough time wrappin' that bear hug around him. The challenger enters first coming out to a band with a lead singer that looks like Patrick Swayze. Fireworks explode and a bright "VALUEV" sign lights up the sky. Shades of Apollo Creed coming out to Livin' In America. Valuev rises from the ground surrounded by lights. He walks down a long flight of stairs and makes his way to the ring while the band continues to play. Valuez steps over the top rope a la Andre the Giant. The Champion enters next to some Don Omar reggaeton. Ruiz sprints to the ring. He looks up to the challenge.

Round 1
Ruiz comes out pawing with the jab. He charges in and works the body. Valuez takes a wide stance. They clinch and Valuev pushes down on Ruiz. Valuev lands a jab. He fires two more, but misses as Ruiz does the herky jerk. Valuev keeps pawing with the jab. Ruiz fires a jab to the body. They clinch. Valuev lands a short right hand inside. Ruiz misses with a left, but lands a right. Valuev fires the jab. Ruiz charges in, but is blocked. Valuev just stands there and paws with the jab. Suprisingly, Valuev is holding more than Ruiz. Ruiz works the body. Ruiz lands a 1-2 in a nice exchange to end the round. Not much happened. Round to Ruiz for landing the cleaner punches.

Ruiz 10 Valuev 9

Round 2

Valuev paws with the jab...not doing much with it. Ruiz slips two jabs with the herky jerk. Valuev lands a jab. Ruiz works the body. Ruiz eats another jab. They clinch. Ruiz staying on the outside with the herky jerk...looks a little confused by the jab. Valuev lands a nice right hand that gets Ruiz angry. Ruiz flurries on the inside and they clinch. Valuev back to jabbing. Ruiz lands a right and they tie up. Valuev back to jabbing. Ruiz gets inside to work the body. Ruiz lands a nice uppercut and dances back outside. Valuev walks into a right hand at the end of the round. Round to Valuev...better job of keeping Ruiz on the outside with the jab.

Ruiz 19 Valuev 19

Round 3
Valuev lands a jab...Ruiz misses with a hook. Ruiz circles on the outside. Valuev lands a jab. Valuev lands two more jabs. Ruiz tries to land the overhand right, but it's blocked. Valuev doubling up on the jab. Ruiz just circles. Ruiz fires a four punch combo, but everything was blocked as Valuev covers up. Ruiz works the body. They trade at the end. Ugly round, but I give it to Valuev. He's pumpin' that jab out there. Can he keep it up?

Ruiz 28 Valuev 29

Round 4

Valuev comes out firing the jab. Ruiz fires his own jab. Valuev lands a a jab. Ruiz misses with a left hook, but lands a right. Ruiz tries to tie up on the inside, but Valuev works his way out with a nice combo to the body. Valuev lands a left hook to the head. Ruiz looks confused. Valuev getting loose...firing the jab. Ruiz lands a jab to the body. Valuev clips Ruiz on the back of the head. Ruiz lands a right on the inside. Ruiz lands a couple of hooks that have Valuev holding on. Ruiz lands a nice left on the inside. Ruiz getting busy now...flurries at the end to steal the round. Round to Ruiz.

Ruiz 38 Valuev 38

Round 5

Ruiz circles. Valuev fires the jab. Ruiz tries to work the body. Valuev measuring with his jab. Good left to the body lands for Valuev. Ruiz doing the herky jerk on the outside...eats a jab. Ruiz works the body. Valuev back to jabbing. Valuev paints Ruiz on the face with the jab and lands a nice right hand. Ruiz not doing much. They clinch. Valuev misses with a right. Ruiz tries to steal the round at the end with another flurry. Not enough...round to Valuev.

Ruiz 47 Valuev 48

Round 6

Valuev back to jabbing. Ruiz charges in and works the body. They clinch. Ruiz lands a left to the body. Valuev lands two jabs to the face. Jab, jab, jab from Valuev. Ruiz just circles and eats it. Valuev fires the jab to the body now. Doubles up with the jab. Ruiz just watches. Jab and grab from Ruiz. Valuev lands another jab. Ruiz misses with a 1-2. Ruiz works the body, but pays for it on the inside as Valuev lands two short hooks to end the round. Round to Valuev.

Ruiz 56 Valuev 58

Round 7

Valuev back to jabbing. Ruiz retreats. Ruiz lands a short left hook that has Valuev backing up. Valuev fires back and lands a right of hiw own. They clinch. Valuev back to jabbing. Ruiz lands a short uppercut. Ruiz is looking to counter...trying to find a home for that right hand. Valuev misses with a right. They trade jabs. Ruiz lands a right and Valuev flurris to end the round. Better round for Ruiz, but was it enough to impress the judges? I thought so. Round to Ruiz.

Ruiz 66 Valuev 67

Round 8
Valuev paints Ruiz across the face with the jab again to start the round. Ruiz lands a jab of his own. Ruiz complains about a low blow. Valuev looks like he wants to turn on the pressure. Throwing more jabs now. Two stiff jabs rock Jawny's head back. Ruiz is still game though...still working the body...still trying to chop the giant down. Valuev lands a good shot that has the crowd cheering. Ruiz sneaks in a left of his own. Round to Valuev.

Ruiz 75 Valuev 77

Round 9

Valuev firing a stiff jab. Ruiz eats it and backs up. Valuev smells blood...pickin' up his workrate. Valuev looks confident. The jab just paintin' Ruiz. Ruiz works the body. They clinch. Valuev walking him down. Ruiz retreats, fires a 1-2 and tries to tie up. Valuev pushes him off, fires the jab and dances away on his toes. The big man is getting loose. Jab landing at will for Valuev. Ruiz looks tired, but he still tries to work the body. Ruiz lands an overhand right. Valuev lands an uppercut on the inside. Round to Valuev.

Ruiz 84 Valuev 87

Round 10

Ruiz lands a jab. Now Ruiz eats a jab. Ruiz works the body, but again pays the price by eating two jabs while pulling back. Valuev lands an overhand right to the back of the head. They clinch. Valuev back to jabbing. Ruiz gets warned for throwing a forearm. They clinch. Valuev back to jabbing. Big right hand lands for Valuev. They clinch. Ruiz still trying to work the body. Round to Valuev.

Ruiz 93 Valuev 97

Round 11

Valuev comes out jabbing. Ruiz looks a little fatigued. They trade jabs and then clinch. A 1-2 from Ruiz and then another clinch. Valuev pushes him off and fires the jab. They clinch again. Ruiz misses an overhand right. Valuev lands a left hook that has Ruiz bouncing on his toes. Valuev holding and hitting now. Ruiz lands a 1-2. Ruiz works the body. They clinch. Valuev sticks him with a jab to end the round. Ugly round, but I think Ruiz did some good work to the body. Round to Ruiz.

Ruiz 103 Valuev 106

Round 12
Valuev paws with the jab. Ruiz dances on the outside. They clinch. Ruiz lands a good sneaky right hand...and another lands for Ruiz, but Valuev looks unfazed. Valuev coming forward firing the jab. They clinch. Valuev lands a right hand that has Ruiz holding on. Ruiz works the body. Valuev leans on him and pushes down on his back. Valuev lands a jab and they clinch. A little roughhousing on the inside. They clinch. Big overhand right catches Ruiz. They clinch. Valuev is walking him down. Ruiz looks tired. Both men flurry at the end. They clinch and there's the bell. Round to Valuev.

Ruiz 112 Valuev 116

Ruiz had no answer for that jab.

Taking a long time with the scores....

Judges scorecards: 1114-114, 116-113, 116-114

AND NEW WBA Heavyweight Champion.....

Nicolay Valuev


Wow. Norman Stone up to his old tricks. He rips the belt away and jumps into the ring yelling "Cocksucka". A fight breaks out. Norman takes a right cross to the jaw from a member of Team Valuev. Security jumps in the ring and breaks it up. They escort Stone out of the ring. The crowd boos.